Cold Steel
by SwiftWhiteWolf
Summary: In the ruins of Nuka World, a fragile alliance is formed. Porter Gage vowed he would never trust anyone again, but having met someone he can actually rely on might change his mind. Or they might end up putting bullets in each others faces, if the other raiders don t shoot or stab them in the back first. Rated M for language, suggestive themes, and gore.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Porter Gage was not a leader. He had no desire to be. As long as he had the ear of whoever was in charge, he thought he would be satisfied. The reality he found himself in as a result of that belief, was far from what he had imagined. That he had convinced a verteran raider like Colter to unite three factions as different as the Disciples, Operators, and Pack, still surprised him. His fragile dream of finding a permanent home in the Commonwealth, away from the nuisances of Minutemen, super mutants, and the Institute`s synths seemed almost possible. Until Colter had gotten lazy. All the fire and bloodlust the Overboss had shown when the factions closed in on the old Nuka World theme park was lost now. Instead of pushing to clear out the remaining zones after Nuka Town USA, Colter spent his days drinking and playing with his power armor. When he did manage to sober up enough to leave Fizztop Mountain it was usually only to head to the marketplace to buy more Daytripper or Jet, and maybe drag some ragged slave back to his quarters to rape and beat up.

Gage wasn`t the only one frustrated with the Overboss. The faction leaders; Mason, Mags Black, her brother William, and Nisha had become dissatisfied enough with Colter`s apparent complacency to entertain the idea of a mutiny. Gage had tried time and again to get through Colter`s thick skull that something needed to be done. He had warned the man, given him every opportunity to hold to his word of taking over all of Nuka World. In the end, the Overboss had to go. If something wasn`t done soon the raiders were all going to tear each other apart. They grew more restless each day. Already they were at each others` throats and the sun was barely up in the marketplace as Gage strode through, looking for some grub. Above him on the catwalks constructed around the vendors` stalls a pair of Pack members were patrolling. An Operator sneered at them from where she leaned against a stall sipping a nuka cherry.

"Wow! Did you do your makeup this morning, or do you just naturally look like a paint mixer exploded all over you?"

"Ha. You have a face only a mother could love. I bet if she weren`t so exhausted from me fucking her senseless last night, she`d tell you that you`re special too!" One of the Pack members replied venemously. Gage snorted with laughter as he continued on his way. Sometimes it was the little shit that had to make him smirk. His amusement quickly died though as the Operator threw her half-empty drink at the guy she`d insulted... and smacked him square in the back of the head with it. The victim turned around and raised his assault rifle in rage, fingers reaching for the trigger. Gage nearly panicked, knowing if one of them killed the other there would be a full scale riot upon them within minutes.

He began to move to intercept the conflict, his previous thoughts of breakfast forgotten already. There was no way he would make it in time. Luck was on his side, however. Completely unexpected, a diversion presented itself in the form of a loud, blaring alarm. Someone was arriving on the monorail, and soon they would enter the Gauntlet. For a moment time seemed to stand still. Everyone froze, their attention ripped from the blooming fight and pulled towards the possibility of fresh entertainment. Then, like a machine slowly churning to life, the scattered raiders began to migrate towards the Cola Cars arena. Most of them would be scrambling for seats in a few minutes, but some headed towards the stairs leading to the roof of the Gauntlet. They would take up positions along it`s length and harass whatever poor fool was trapped inside, driving them in the direction of the arena and the Gauntlet`s final stage. Gage looked at this as a way to kill two birds with one stone. The distraction of a new potential victim`s emergence had averted a near disaster. At the same time, if whoever it was didn`t turn out to be a complete weakling, maybe Gage would be able to use them to off Colter. He knew time was a precious commodity that he was running out of. However, none of the raiders already in Nuka World could be allowed to kill the current Overboss. They were all affiliated to a particular gang, which meant that whoever won would most certainly play favorites. The other two groups would probably try to join forces and eliminate the person who took charge at that point. The survivors would likely fight it out among themselves in a bid for supreme power after that, resulting in heavy casualties all around. The raiders` numbers had risen, but they were still recovering from taking Nuka Town USA. The slaves were only kept in line by their explosive collars. Some of the outside traders and merchants might get it in to their heads to take out the raiders entirely though if they sensed the opportunity. Although Gage wanted Colter dead and replaced badly enough to help stage the mutiny, he refused to do the slaying himself. Whoever killed the Overboss would replace him. They would be the one who had to make the hard calls, the final decisions, and risk their neck to clear the way for the raiders. All of this the new Overboss would have to achieve, while still keeping the factions in check _and_ scaring the shit out of everyone enough that they knew Nuka World wasn`t going to be an easy target for outsiders to take down. They would need to find a kind of balance between fear and grudging respect, enough so that Nuka World was secure, but new traders would continue to stop here. No, Gage did not believe he could be that kind of leader. But maybe, just maybe, there was someone on their way right now who could be, and he could help them towards that goal.


	2. The Gauntlet

**Chapter One: The Gauntlet**

The Gauntlet was one of the happiest places in Nuka World. At least according to the raiders that built it. The maze of death traps, hostile creatures, and the mangled bodies of previous participants made for one hell of a gruesome work of art. Originally, the Gauntlet had been Colter`s idea, but the Disciples and other raider gangs had put in their suggestions for "improvements" as well. Nisha`s pet Dixie was particularly fond of her own contributions, mainly consisting of numerous blade traps and the severed body parts of previous contestants placed on spikes as decorations where they were sure to catch the eye (and turn the stomach) of anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves running the Gauntlet.

The newest participant appeared more cautious than terrified, however. Through a system of strategically placed grilles, windows, and even a few cameras, Gage was able to watch the action up close. He`d enlisted his acquaintance Red Eye`s aid to plant a pre-recorded message on the monorail. While prepping the sound booth for the impromptu entertainment the Gauntlet brought, the radio show host subtly informed Gage the message had been received. Meanwhile, Colter was distracted preparing himself for the upcoming fight by shooting up some Jet. Gage desperately wanted this new arrival to exterminate the drug addicted, spineless cockroach the Overboss had become. As he worked on wiring Colter`s power armor to the arena`s grid he listened to Red Eye`s radio commentary. His gut roiled with tension and anxiety while he wondered if the person Red Eye was describing could actually pull this off.

"It looks like we have some fresh meat to run the Gauntlet today, boys and girls! Let`s see how long this one lasts!" Red Eye announced with a sinister excitement, The crowd clearly shared his enthusiasm ; their voices rose in response. But while many of them were simply out for blood, looking for a way to pass the time before they returned to plotting how best to kill each other, Gage was hoping for more.

He had always made a point not to underestimate potential threats, or at least he had tried to. But even a survivor like himself wasn`t sure if the girl standing at the entry of the Gauntlet posed a legitimate threat to Colter. The last two trespassers he`d attempted to rope in to his scheme had seemed more prepared for battle with their heavy guns and heavier armor, yet neither had made it past the halfway point. One of them had even been wearing a partial set of power armor on a frame that had seen worse days. This woman was only wearing modified combat armor, and she hadn`t even opened the door to the first room yet. Rather she was standing next to it, shoulders hunched, with her head tilted to one side. Gage figured she was having doubts about trying the Gauntlet in the first place; in her position he certainly would have he finished some minor adjustments to the connections for Colter`s suit, he mentally pleaded with the universe that he was wrong just this once.

The woman didn`t _look_ like a coward through the grainy camera feed, but she was small, and appeared hesitant. Her dark brown hair was shaved close to her head on one side, a dust-flecked wild mane on the other. Two gunmetal rings pierced her right eyebrow, accompanied by another in her nose and numerous studs in both ears. Darkened, lightweight combat armor covered her slender frame, customized with spikes and buckles. A shoulder holster hung under her right arm, empty since it`s vessel was in her hands. Various pouches were strapped around the wiry woman`s legs, which were clad in torn, faded jeans. A modified piece of polymer armor protected her lower back and kidneys. Stained with mud and blood, a black bomber style jacket was tied around her waist. Heavy leather boots encased her calves halfway up to the knee. One sported a large knife sheath. An army green tank top covered her torso. A bandoleer holding grenades rested comfortably across her modest chest. Her right arm was wrapped in bandages to the elbow, a set of spiked knuckles gave the image she wasn`t afraid to get up close and personal. A lengthy duffel bag was strapped across her back along with a large backpack and a bedroll. Her facial features were hard and lean; dark sunken eyes and an unsmiling mouth with a still-healing split lip. As the raiders looked on, she pulled one of the grenades from her bandoleer and tossed it through the door. The stranger then darted inside, pistol rising without hesitation.

"And she starts things off with a bang!" Red Eye commented, laughing at his own lukewarm pun as he was prone to do. Several machine gun turrets that had been inside the room whined in protest as they were reduced to smoldering rubble. Some of them had survived. The laser turrets powered up with their distinctive alarm, one firing off a shot before it met a sudden and violent end brought by the woman and her handgun. The arc flew past her shoulder, missing by a foot. More shots were fired from both parties, but in the end the would-be victim destroyed every target. Some of the raiders in the crowd hooted their excitement at the action, a choice few shook their heads, possibly thinking about how much of a pain in the ass it was going to be to replace those obstacles.

The second room presented more of a challenge, and one of the pressure plate traps triggered by a hidden scale the newcomer stepped on went off immediately. Gage thought she was done for, but by some miracle that proved false. The woman sprang backward and jumped at the same time, pulling off a surprisingly acrobatic handspring. She landed hard on her feet, bits of plastic and metal from the makeshift bomb littering her clothes. The soles of her boots were smoking slightly, which clearly pissed her off. Half of the audience boo`ed that she survived. The other portion cheered, surely hoping to see her annihilated another way. Before her was a path strewn with tripwires. Grenade bouquets hung like morbid streamers all over the ceiling and guns were tucked up in to unassuming corners where they were barely visible to the untrained eye. To the left was a locked door.

Gage watched her face as she stared at the trip wires, visibly decided _fuck that_ and went for the door instead. From a hidden pocket the young woman retrieved a screwdriver and bobby pin, then proceeded to jam them in the lock. The instruments were turned and jiggled with all the tenderness of a professional thief or safe cracker. She got it on the second try and kicked the door open, amidst the jeers of the raiders. Red Eye continued his rambling narration, heckling the trespasser to speed things up when she paused before the three doors at the top of the stairs in the next room. He insulted his compatriots alike for constructing apparently 'shitty' traps and locks.

Door number one revealed a jangles toy on its grotesque throne (one of Dixie`s ideas most likely). The pistol came up and executed the little bastard mercilessly. The bold brunette had clearly seen that trick before. Highly radioactive barrels in the next passage seemed to scare her more than the explosives. Lucky for her she possessed an instinctual hatred for monkeys, as she blew away the stuffed one that would have triggered all the turrets in the next room before they could power up. Gage couldn`t fault her for that, he had always hated the ugly little toys. A tenuous hope began to grow inside the raider as he watched the trespasser shoot and sneak her way through the next few areas, using only her wits, reflexes, and an old fashioned western revolver.

The gas trap room caused her to struggle visibly. Hacking the terminal to shut off the valves and open the security gate while suffocating on the poisonous fumes was no easy task. In the next room more bullets flew, the giant ants within became a new coat of gory paint for the walls. A furious string of colorful insults towards the audience shooting at her as per Red Eye`s suggestion for crowd participation followed. Finally she stood in the hallway above the Cola Cars arena, leading in to the locker room.

Colter, who`d been waiting in the arena as Gage checked his armor, was eager for the fight to come. "You got me hooked up yet, Gage?" The Overboss asked impatiently.

"Yeah, Boss." Gage responded, his tone careful not to betray his irritation with the other man`s incompetence. He wished he could have just sabotaged the connections himself, but Colter would have known.

"Finally. Now, go shut off that damn alarm."

"Alright, I`m on it." The second in command turned on his heel and strode out of the main arena, glad to be spared Colter`s tired out introductory speech. He`d heard it all before, when other competitors had survived the bulk of the Gauntlet. Of course, those times were before Colter made it clear he was never going to fulfill his promise. Gage had been amused to watch right alongside the other raiders as their leader destroyed his victims. Hell, he`d even been pleased to be involved; having his idea for electrifying the Overboss`s armor utilized. Thinking back now, he wished he`d never given Colter that idea. It made things that much harder now. As Gage headed for his power monitoring booth, he heard the boss comment on the stranger he was about to skirmish with.

"Don`t look like much." Gage disagreed after what he`d witnessed so far, but he remained certain that on her own this woman`s efforts would not be enough to win the rigged fight ahead. Colter continued, his voice sounding louder now that the alarm was silenced. "Here`s a quick rundown of how this works. You go stock up, make yourself presentable, and then we`re gonna give these folks a show. A show where I decorate these walls here with your lovely brains..."

The rest of Colter`s monologue was interrupted as some of the audience burst in to raucous laughter. Up on the catwalk the woman was making talking gestures with her hands at Colter as he rambled. She was clearly not taking a damn thing the Overboss said seriously. Gage snorted at her antics. Funny as they were, he hoped she took the upcoming fight more seriously and was able to assassinate Colter. or he was in deep shit. As Gage looked out at the audience that feeling intensified. Although Mason and his Pack were all laughing and howling like idiots, the leaders of the Operators and the Disciples were more reserved. Amused expressions could be seen here and there, but Nisha`s face in particular was murderous. She caught Gage looking at her, as if she`d sensed his gaze. A silent gesture mimicking a slit throat followed by her finger pointing at him was all he needed to see. If this battle didn`t produce results his life might as well be forfeit. He had no doubt that once Nisha lost her limited patience the others would too. They would tear Gage apart, and once they were done with him they would go for each other. Both his and Nuka World`s futures would be determined by this conflict. The Overboss furiously commanded Gage to let the woman through, startling him to action.

Once she was in the locker room Gage only had seconds. He activated the private intercom he`d installed, knowing no one else would be able to hear. It crackled to life with some feedback and he spoke urgently; "Alright, listen the hell up if you want to make it out of this alive. I`ve only got a minute. Find the intercom on the wall, I`ll make this quick."

"Shoot." A low, smooth voice responded.

"You made it this far, so obviously you`ve got skill. But this fight coming up is rigged. You get me?" She didn`t have a choice, he told himself. He prayed she understood that. "...miniguns, grenades...not a scratch. You get what I`m saying?"

"I hear you."

"Good. It`s more than just your ass on the line here. You want to win? I stashed a weapon in the lockers. Get it."

"Is this a...squirt gun?" She sounded doubtful. He knew it how idiotic it must have seemed. Just the same he needed her to go with it. Both of their lives depended on it.

"Yeah, yeah, I know what it looks `re just going to have to trust me."

"I`ve always wanted one of these!" The woman`s voice feigned excitement. Gage was a little less amused and didn`t have the luxury of time to joke around.

"Oh, great. Your lucky day. Congratulations. Now can we get on with it? Once the water hits Colter`s electrically charged Power Armor..."

"Yeah, yeah, water and electricity don`t mix. When the armor gets wet it should short out."

"Alright smartass, but just so you know it`ll recharge off the grid so don`t get cocky."

"Me? Never."

"You`d better be ready for this." Gage snapped, out of patience as he could practically hear the wanderer`s eyes rolling. "All right, it`s time. I`ll open the door. See you on the other side." He flipped the switch that would open the door to the arena as Colter finished greeting each of the factions using the accent he sometimes acquired while high on drugs.

As the door swung open the woman ran through, all anticipation and aggression. She heard her power armor-clad opponent yell something at her "Let`s do this!" it sounded like, over the rush of blood and adrenaline in her ears. It was the moments when she was at the greatest risk of dying, when she felt the most alive. Electricity snapped along the Overboss`s armor as fire raced through the former Vault dweller`s veins. He fired at her first, which she had expected since she reflexively tucked and rolled, closing in on the man. The thirst zapper Gage had hidden in the locker room was already in her hands, and she fired at close range. Predictably, Colter was stunned for a few seconds as his armor shorted out and he tried to figure out what was happening. Commentary was provided by Red Eye for the onlookers.

"What the hell? Was that a squirt gun?!"

A wicked laugh issued from the woman. "You bet your ass it was!" She got up in Colter`s face like a lunatic; her left hand balled in to a tight fist. Colter let loose a satisfying shriek as a hidden blade sprang from her arm piece and found a gap in his helmet. Blood sprayed from the the place where his eye had been. The titan of a man swung out blindly, attempting to return the favor with his heavily armored fist and the butt of his gun. She ducked and moved away, making the fluid motion look like a dance. While Colter was stumbling around she darted behind him, then kicked him in the square of the back, where the fusion core of his armor was located. The result was that Colter was ejected from his suit. A smirk spread across her pale face as she ripped him, bleeding, out of the armor as if she were peeling open a tin of potted meat. The Overboss grunted as he sprawled painfully on the ground. He cursed at his foe and kicked out at her, missing wildly. She only laughed as the raiders watched.

 _What the fuck is she waiting for?!_ Gage wondered as he viewed her standing over Colter. _Kill him already!_ He silently urged, not daring to say a word. He could barely breathe for the tension. The woman stepped on Colter`s arm at the elbow, the cleats on her boots puncturing his flesh. He howled and thrashed, her smirk grew in to a grin showing brilliant white teeth. He swung his other arm at her, fisted in rage with the intent to kill. She pinned it to the arena floor by stabbing him through the wrist with her knife. A second later the barrel of the revolver pressed against his temple. She pulled the trigger.

Instead of her lovely brains decorating the arena, it turned out to be Colter`s. She had sustained more injuries (although minor) from the Gauntlet itself than the fight with its former champion. Either she was very skilled or lucky. Or Colter had just fallen that far under the influence of his chem addiction. Gage figured all of those were applicable. The raiders reacted with a mixture of shocked gasps, cheers, and silence. Gage himself had no words for how he felt in that moment. Elated, surprised, relieved, impressed, and tinged with fear, all he could do was exhale shakily. It was Red Eye who voiced what everyone was thinking;

"...Colter, man. He`s _out_!" The audience broke out in to whispers and began conversing among themselves. Gage took that as his opportunity to shake off the awe he was currently feeling.

"You saw it. We all saw it. Colter`s dead. We got ourselves a new Overboss."

"Her?" William Black questioned, standing with Mags at his side. The pair of well dressed Operators and their crew made Mason and the Pack look like a bunch of children playing dress up at Halloween. Their painted leader was no less curious than that of the Operators, however, as he voiced his concern as well.

"Gage, are you sure?"

"You had better know what the hell you`re doing." Nisha stated, contributing the Disciples` opinion. Gage steeled himself, straightened his spine and looked at the new Overboss. He couldn`t back down now, so he went for an aggressive approach.

"Hey. We talked about this. She survived the Gauntlet. She was smart enough to take my advice, and strong enough to kill Colter. She`s what we need. So how about we show some respect for our new leader, eh?"

"She`ll get respect when she earns respect." Mags asserted critically as she looked down from the stands, arms crossed over her chest. Her brother added his agreement; "Amen."

"All right, all right. Now get the hell out of here. I`ll show the boss around." Gage ordered in to the speaker. His annoyed drawl sounded like a growl. The arena began to empty out, clearing of the bulk of it`s patrons. The woman approached Gage`s booth as the other raiders trickled out, her expression far calmer than she had a right to be, he felt. But Colter was dead, and that was what he had wished for. She`d done everything he`d hoped, up to this point. Now it was time for Gage to make good on his word. "What did I tell you? Worked like a charm."

"It did, although I`ve fought worse."

"Sure you have." His tone reflected his doubt. She`d handled herself well. Who was he kidding? She`d butchered the bastard, given him exactly what he deserved. Gage wasn`t about to stroke her ego though, for fear that she would end up like her predecessor. He continued; "I get that you have no idea whats going on, and everything is coming at you real fast, but you need to listen. Taking out Colter wasn`t just a last minute decision...it was something a few of us here have been working on for a while."

"That much is pretty obvious." She commented, but otherwise remained quiet and heard him out.

"Now that he`s actually gone, we`ve got ourselves a vacancy in the Overboss department. And guess what...you just got the job. All I`m asking is that you trust me on this and give it a shot. I swear it`ll be worth it." He may have been trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to persuade this stranger.

"Of course, and while you`re at it I suppose you`re going to tell me I`ve inherited a million caps from that dead guy, right?"

"All right, all right. I get it, you don`t trust me. But I swear, this is the big score." _She`s smart not to trust me, I`ll give her that. I`d do the same in her position, but that just makes it harder on me to convince her._

"Sure, cause it`s not like you just made me run through a death trap for your amusement or anything. Or used me to off your last 'Overboss'. But let`s say I`m interested. Tell me more."

 _Crap, she has a point._ "Let me explain. There are three raider gangs that run the show at Nuka World; the Disciples, the Operators, and the Pack. And yeah, if the names didn`t give it away these ain`t your typical Raiders. These morons don`t exactly play nice with each other. Thanks to Colter, this place is a powder keg just waiting to blow sky high. One wrong move, and we`re going to have a bloodbath on our hands." Gage shrugged, trying to make his tone sound earnest. This outsider had proven a lot so far, he was just hoping she had what it took to hold things together and finish the job. He told her; "I think you have what it takes to turn things around and keep these gangs from tearing each other apart."

"You don`t sound so certain." She studied him with one of her eyebrows raised. He pressed through the awkward pitch and chose not to acknowledge the blunt opposition.

"I`m sure you got a lot of questions, but this ain`t the place. Meet me at the Overboss`, er, _your_ new quarters, the restaurant on top of good old Fizztop Mountain. We can talk there. Just let me get that door for you..." Now that he was sure she wasn`t going to try to kill him as soon as she came through the gate, he unlocked it for her. She stepped through, looking him up and down.

Mostly she was looking up at him, since he was about four inches taller. While he`d made his brief speech she had been staring at him directly; taking in his yellow cage-like armor, worn pants and boots, strange metal eye patch, and dark mohawk. After she`d gotten a good look at his face, she glanced around the room more thoroughly. The Cola Cars arena was much like the rest of Nuka World; once brightly colored and cheerfully lit, it was now dilapidated and darkened. The raiders` idea of decor didn`t exactly improve the atmosphere. Animatronic mannequins and ragged banners strewn about haphazardly could not hide the debris littering nearly every crevice and corner. The first thought that came to her mind was not how worried any sane person should be surrounded by this many potential enemies. No, the first thing to cross her mind was just how filthy the place was; both physically and figuratively. There was a lot of housecleaning to be done before she could call this place home. But that was her goal from the beginning; to make Nuka World and it`s inhabitants belong to her. She`d never expected it to be easy.


	3. There Goes The Neighborhood

**Chapter Two: There Goes the Neighborhood**

Gage was having a hard time figuring this one out. Usually he could peg someone for what they wanted the most; be it caps, chems, power, bloodshed, or a combination thereof. Based on that he was able to get an angle on just what to say to get what he wanted from them. For Colter it had been caps, power, _and_ chems. He`d been a greedy prick, and Gage had simply played on that. This new Overboss he didn`t know very well yet, and that was the problem.

He`d seen her tear through the Gauntlet and his old boss, sure. Clearly she`d enjoyed doing that. Gage had mentioned caps to try to tempt her, but she`d barely acknowledged it. He hadn`t noticed her use any chems before or during the battle with Colter. Nor since then had she elected to take any, at least not that he had seen. The newcomer`s appearance announced 'badass' in big, bold letters, but she also had a sense of humor, if her taunting antics towards the ex Overboss pre-deathmatch had given any indication. Could it be that she was going along with his plan purely for the sake of amusement? The raider wasn`t sure, but something made him doubt it. All he really knew were two things; she was capable of great violence, and he didn`t trust her very much. As he headed towards Fizztop Mountain and the restaurant at its zenith he was lost in thought. He was more than three quarters of the way there, having parted ways with her to run some errands of his own when she`d told him she wanted to look around. Gage was fished from his thoughts when another fight broke out on the path ahead of him.

What had begun as a discussion about which faction the new Overboss would favor the most had devolved in to a cursing match and then a fistfight in the street. Gage approached, intending to calm things down and send the offenders on their way, but was interrupted by a cheerful voice.

"Kindly move your scrawny ass!" A set of footsteps Gage wasn`t yet familiar with strode past him. His head turned in time to see a nondescript raider shoved forcefully to one side by none other than the devil he`d been thinking about. Her sharp tone cut through the muggy air like a blade made out of ice.

"What the motherfucking, ass ramming hell, do you think you`re doing?!"

 _The fuck?_ Gage wove through the crowd that had begun to form a ring around the fight, and was surprised by the new Overboss`s outright bizarre vulgarity. What surprised him more was how she fed one of the combatants a mouthful of brass knuckles and sent them sprawling. _She`s got to be in this for the bloodshed._ He guessed, and sincerely hoped she wasn`t as insane as Nisha. He wasn`t sure he could handle another psycho of her caliber around. As far as raiders went, they were all violent, but the leader of the Disciples took the cake. He stood at the front of the onlookers and waited to see what the Overboss would do next. She didn`t disappoint him in setting an example as she turned from her cowering victim to his opponent and kicked his knees out from under him, effectively landing the man on his back so hard he smacked his head on the cracked pavement.

The new Overboss squatted between the pair of troublemakers and smiled widely. She spoke to them as if they were very young and just hadn`t quite figured out how the world worked yet.

"Did I not give you all enough carnage in the Gauntlet redecorating the arena with Colter`s brain paste? `Cause if thats the case then I can always turn your entrails in to garlands for the lamp posts." She paused and tilted her head to one side, her dark mane swinging. Half of her pale face, which had been hidden by hair until now was revealed. A scar ran in a straight line from her cheek all the way down to the back corner of her jaw, making her skin look as if it had been melted.

"No? Then quit screwing around and behave your damn selves. I don`t have time to babysit. I have more important shit to do." The woman stood up and cast her shadow over them. She continued;

"Lets get one thing straight. I ain`t playing favorites. I haven`t decided if I like any gang better than the others, because I literally _just fucking got here._ Before you go trashing my reputation, give me a few days to build it." If looks were capable of killing, both idiots would have already been cold in their graves.

"Now, this is how things are going to work around here, so listen good. I`m going to bust my ass and clear out the other parks that have been overrun. That means when I come in for the day, I want to be able to relax. If I gotta break up stupid ass fights every time I walk down the street, I`m gonna get real tense. I`m sure all of you here have your own ways of dealing with pent up frustration. Mine involves a lot of punching and shooting things that annoy me." Her expression had become a hard scowl, but it cleared up and she winked at the raiders surrounding her. "So, if you don`t want to get beaten or shot at, I suggest you keep yourselves in line." Her tone grew serious once more. "That means doing useful things around here. Take jobs from your leaders, keep this place secure, maybe go out and catch some new slaves to play with. As long as you`re useful, you`re safe. But you start fucking around and wasting my time like this, and I`ll make you regret it. This is the only warning I`m giving you."

"Who told you you get to decide how to punish us?" One amazingly foolhardy Disciple stepped forward and addressed the Overboss. "Our gang leaders get to decide that."

"I`ve alreacy spoken with Mason, Mags, and Nisha. We`ve come to an understanding that while they decide what to do with you when you fuck up on their turf, in the privacy of your respective areas, out here on the streets I will make the call. If you disagree with that, then step right on up and fight me. You don`t like the rules, become Overboss and change them. But if you don`t have the spine for it, then I suggest you shut the fuck up, else I cut out your tongue and make you wear it as a necklace." She stalked over towards the other female, no weapons drawn but emanating a murderous aura. The complainer`s hand moved to rest on the hilt of a combat knife tucked in to her belt. She obviously hadn`t been briefed, and wasn`t sure if she should be taking shit from this new blood.

 _Good._ The Boss glanced Gage`s way out of the corner of her eye as she moved. He`d chosen to step forward at the ready to assist her, instead of melting back in to the crowd. _I thought so._ He`d confirmed his loyalty through action, even if he wasn`t fully aware that it was being tested. She still didn`t fully trust him, but she was a step closer. Her smirk was cocky and forcibly relaxed as she confronted the Disciple. They now stood within a foot of each other, close enough to see the whites of each others` eyes. The Disciple`s hand was shaking on her weapon. The Boss jerked towards her suddenly, unarmed. A scattering of laughter and jeers went up around the ring of observers as the other female fell on her butt and peed herself when the Overboss said 'Boo!'.

"Well that`s clearly been decided. Now that we all understand each other, I expect we won`t have any further incidences like this one." She made a show of slowly and deliberately turning her back on the humiliated raider. As she brushed past the two she`d taken down they both lowered their heads in submission. No one else spoke out or made a move to challenge her. Rather, they closed in around the one who`d wet herself and chased her off, insulting her and throwing rocks and debris at her back. Gage gave his new leader a subtle nod of approval when she approached him, and they set out towards Fizztop together in unspoken agreement.

"Those were some big words back there, Boss." Gage told his companion when they`d reached Fizztop Grille. He had been quiet most of the way there and during the elevator ride up as the newcomer took in the sights. So had she, which he had imagined was for much the same reason. Now that they were away from prying eyes and ears she gestured for him to sit at one of the damaged booths overlooking the park. He did so and she claimed the seat across from him. He had imagined she would flop in to it with the same air of nonchalance as Colter used to. She looked around as she discarded her backpack and duffel bag next to the booth. Her smooth maneuver to seat herself and the reserved way her hands folded together on the tabletop surprised him a little. Her posture was disciplined, but her body showed no tension.

"Let me guess. You`re wondering if I can back them up, is that correct?" Her entire demeanor seemed to be changing; the way she moved, spoke, and looked at him. The aggressive, edgy woman he`d met earlier was slowly melting in to this suspiciously calm one. She methodically tied her hair back with a strip of fabric fetched from one of her pouches. Then she met his gaze and he realized how clear and dark her eyes were. After growing accustomed to Colter`s foggy, unfocused stare Gage took this as a good sign.

"Well...yeah. I saw you pull off some impressive stuff when the odds were against you and all, but this ain`t gonna be no picnic in the park. You proved yourself in the Gauntlet, and killed Colter. Then you managed to stop those dumbasses in the plaza from murdering each other, and put a Disciple in her place without bloodshed. I`d say that`s nothing short of a minor miracle. But getting Nuka World, _all_ of it, under control is gonna take more than some tough words and a few punches." Gage told her honestly. He was a bit caught off guard at what she said next.

"Which is why I have you, Gage. You claim to know what this place needs to get it on track. I`m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. I have to wonder though. Wouldn`t you like run Nuka World yourself? Or would you rather just paint the bullseye on my back instead? I`m not trying to insult you, I`m merely curious."

"Ha. I ain`t gonna lie, it`s a part of the reason you won`t see me stepping up and running things. I`d rather be watching someone else`s back than trying to watch my own and trying to run this place at the same time. Plus I don`t care to deal with the gang leaders if I can avoid it. I ain`t got the temperament for that shit."

"Hmm. The best I can tell you`re being truthful. I appreciate that, and I hope my decision to trust you this far wasn`t misplaced. I assure you if I find out it was, I`ll see that you end up like Colter." Her face was neutral as she spoke with the certainty of someone who wasn`t used to making idle threats. That she wasn`t smiling as she`d done every time he`d seen her admonish the other raiders somehow told Gage she was even more serious. In the dim light of the slowly sinking sun his eyes gleamed with understanding.

"There, you`re already fitting in around here talking like that." One corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. He`d expected no less after what he`d already witnessed. His intentions might have been selfish, but at least they had agreed on and established who was in charge. He was curious though to know what her motives were. Gage didn`t believe he`d convinced her with his proposal earlier, and he`d learned by now manipulating her wasn`t going to be as simple as it had been with Colter. She`d come to Nuka World prepared, and hadn`t even batted an eyelash when he had urged her to kill her predecessor. There werent many other option at that point, but now... Gage got the feeling that she was here on purpose, and it hadn`t been to save Harvey`s fake family. If she wanted, he sensed she could have just killed them all. Without it`s leaders the park would fall in to utter chaos; the slaves would likely even attempt to help her. She had chosen to work with him, but why? There was something more going on here than he could explain. So he said; "Now I gotta ask; since you didn`t seem convinced by my speech earlier, why are you here? You`ve got the skill to be Overboss, but what`s your motive?"

"Aside from my Nuka Cola addiction? Let`s see..."

"Are you kidding me right now?!"

"Not even a little." Her face was completely straight when she said it. Gage would hate to play cards against her. He snorted in a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"Ain`t no one left alive in this world stupid enough to risk their life over a soft drink."

"You may underestimate the power of both stupidity and addiction, Gage. But in this instance, you`re right. My life`s ambition isn`t just to rule Nuka World. I wasn`t born a raider, and I`ll be frank in saying I find some of the practices simply disgusting. You`re ruthless though, and you have a lot of numbers. An army, actually."

"So does the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Institute. Both are better armed and equipped. If you`re looking for disciplined soldiers, this is the wrong place to find `em. Might`ve had better luck with the Gunners."

"I ran with the Gunners for nearly a year." She said, surprising him again. "They weren`t going to follow a woman any farther unless I started sleeping with one of their male commanders. As for the Brotherhood; they may have shinier toys and more extensive training, but they live by a code. It`s twisted to suit their needs, and they still have too many morals for what I want to accomplish. Now the Institute, that`s my real problem. They stole my life from me. My home, my family, and even my sense of identity. For that, they need to pay, and I need an army to crush them." The new Overboss leaned back in her seat. Gage couldn`t tell yet if this conversation was going in a direction he liked. He was distracted both by his reeling mind and the amount of cleavage the woman`s tank top was showing off.

"So...you want to use Nuka World`s raiders to take on the Institute? What makes you think you can convince them to try something that crazy?" Porter`s expression was one of awe and disbelief. She met his look and stare with a confident one of her own.

"Why do you think raiders are the only group that`s really flourished in the Commonwealth since the bombs fell? Because they aren`t cowards. Unlike the Minutemen and the Railroad, they aren`t weak. A raider decides how they live, and what they want. Then they take it. Anyone that tries to fuck with that becomes compost or worse." Her cool tone did not match her fierce words, but Gage felt her conviction.

The woman pointed out the broken, dirty windows to the park beyond. "I am going to kill for this, to get what I want. I know what it`s going to take for me to be able to raise an army. But with that army, we destroy the Institute. Once they are out of the way, there won`t be a force strong enough to stand against the raiders. The whole of the Commonwealth will be ours for the taking. Nuka World is just a beginning."


	4. Roots

**Chapter Three: Roots**

Porter Gage knew from experience that revenge could be a powerful motivator. He`d been running with raiders since he was sixteen years old. At first they frightened him for the ways they victimized his family. Fear had not ruled him, however. There was also anger. An anger that intensified every time the outpost he grew up in was hit, and everyone just rolled over. No one had bothered to fight back. Disgusted, he`d left as a preteen and never regretted it.

Gage went from settlement to settlement, working odd jobs for the caravans and whoever would pay him enough that he could eat. Everywhere he went it was the same, until one day it wasn`t. The first time he'd seen the caravan mercenaries stand up and fight for themselves, they were butchered. That was the moment Porter felt he truly understood the way this world worked. He knew which side of the guns he wanted to be on from that point forward.

Joining the raiders had not been easy. He`d had a hell of an initiation; started out at the very bottom and had to fight his way up. If there was anything he was willing to do, it was fight. He didn't care how many times he had to prove himself. What pissed him off was starting over every few months as the gangs destroyed themselves from within. Without strong leadership, or a goal to work towards, or something to keep them occupied, they all fell. He began to notice things, to learn things about how a successful raider gang operated. Being young and overconfident he hadn`t known when to keep his mouth shut.

Then Connor`s gang had come along. Harvester, he`d called himself. He`d taken some of Gage`s advice, gained his trust, and made the younger man feel important. Almost like a teacher. What Connor had taught him in the end was a lesson that stuck with him for life; to never trust anyone. The Harvester`s treachery had utterly blindsided Gage. The thought of getting even still crossed his mind once in a while, years later. If that asshole were alive today and by some twist of fate he walked through the gates of Nuka World, Porter knew that his better judgment might not be able to win out over his hatred.

Yes, his desire for retribution had been a powerful motivator indeed. But Gage was smarter than that. He knew that revenge could only drive a person for so long; there had to be something after. The new Overboss, who`s name he had yet to learn, had made it clear she was looking for revenge against the Institute. She planned to use the raiders to help her achieve this goal. _If_ she could clear Nuka World, gain their loyalty, and convince them to undertake such an impossible task, what would come after? She`d spoken of putting the whole Commonwealth under raider control. Were those merely pretty words? Could they make something like that actually happen? He had his doubts, and his head buzzed from the questions.

She had given him a lot to think about. As was Gage`s habit, he`d risen early and was out walking the open areas of Nuka Town, USA. Not many others were awake yet aside from the mandatory patrols and a few slaves setting up shop in the market. Most of the raiders were probably too hungover from partying late in to the night. They`d celebrated Colter`s death. Gage still felt he had the most to lose if everything here went sideways, but despite his misgivings about the boss, he was hopeful for the first time in a long time. It was a curious feeling, because nothing had really changed yet. Being free of Colter came as a huge relief, and the new Overboss had potential. He'd seen it in the spark of her eyes as she took down her predecessor, disciplined the raiders in the streets yesterday evening, and when she spoke of her desire to put the entire Commonwealth under her heel. He didn`t know what to make of her motivations other than that. At least she clearly had some, and unlike Colter she had been approachable enough to sit down with, talk to, and openly divulge them. She`d answered every question he`d asked her so far. Given, he hadn't inquired about her life`s story. Where she came from and what the Institute had to do with her past did not concern him at present, because he was more focused on the future. Did his dream of restoring Nuka World stand a chance? Was the new Overboss truly capable of making it a real home for the gangs to operate out of?

* * *

She woke in a strange bed, in an unfamiliar place. She came to suddenly, as if from a nightmare. The serrated combat knife hidden under her pillow while she slept was already in her hand when she bolted upright. She peered around, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light of early morning. No glow flashed within the heart of the lift`s call button. She had raised it and disabled the mechanism before going to sleep last night. The door leading in to the restaurant remained chained shut. Her tripwire traps remained untriggered. No one was hiding behind the creepy ass mannequins to ambush her, or under the desk that had seen better days. Both the central bar and the area behind the far counter were clear. Only after checking all of these things, handgun at the ready, could Frost breathe easy.

She`d slept in her armor and fully dressed last night, so she woke up sore. It wasn`t an unfamiliar ache. She stretched, and frowned in distaste. The battered armor had to go, along with the clothes; she wanted a shower. Frost removed the traps she`d set on this side of the door, disarmed the grenade bouquets she'd left hanging in the narrow hall on the other side, but left the frag mines she`d planted in front of the internal elevator. She had cut the power to that too, just in case. The only person she gave permission to come up here was Gage, out of necessity, and she`d strictly told him to use the outside elevator only. He had offered to tag along when she expressed a desire to start clearing out the parks today, and they would meet this morning to begin. By the end of the day she intended to have at least one of the parks cleared out, make arrangements for all of Colter's ugly ass decor to be gone from her new apartment, and some turrets installed on the lower floor.

The idea of the Disciples living in Fizztop Mountain made her damn uncomfortable. Out of all the gang leaders she`d met with yesterday, Nisha had been the toughest. Frost knew that keeping her in line wasn't going to be an easy task. Their brief meeting had begun with an introduction and nearly ended in bloodshed after Nisha had threatened the new Overboss. The exchange had felt more like pissing contest than the beginnings of a progressive alliance. The sooner Frost could get the Disciples their own space elsewhere, the easier she would breathe.

Thinking of the faction leaders helped focus her mind while she heated some water in the kitchen`s cooking station to wash up with. She almost preferred to repeat all of the Gauntlet than having to speak with Nisha again. It crossed her mind that she could just have her killed and replaced with someone a bit more...cooperative. Savoy and Dixie would make that nearly impossible though, unless she killed them too. Frost had noticed the way Savoy looked at Nisha. If Nisha went, Savoy would have to go as well. Mags and William Black were much easier to deal with in her opinion. The Operators were more akin to mercenaries than raiders, motivated by caps above all else. "Spoiled rich kids" Gage had called them. Frost smiled slightly at the thought as the water warmed enough to use and she stripped down. Meeting Mason had actually been kind of amusing, although she couldn't say she cared at all for the smell of the Pack members. Putting on a tough act was something Frost had learned to do early in life, and it had gotten her a free gun from the Pack`s Alpha.

Frost examined her various injuries from the previous day as she bathed in front of the bathroom`s mirror. There were a few bruises and shallow scrapes, but not nearly as many of those as there were scars. It was people just like Mason and Nisha and Mags that had given the woman most of those. Some were small, others large, each had a story behind it. Raiders had turned her body in to a canvas for the marks left by stray bullets, shrapnel grenades, and torture. But it was the Institute that had broken her heart. Not all wounds could be seen on the outside, and those were sometimes more painful than the ones that were visible. Frost carried each of those injuries with her, as lessons in the chapters of her obscured history.

The Overboss looked forward to beginning a new part of her life in Nuka World as she finished cleaning herself up. The single technology from the old world that she missed the most was indoor plumbing, accompanied by the ability to take a hot shower every day. She walked bare assed from what passed for the bathroom to where she'd left some of her things thrown on the spare indoor bed. A military duffel bag containing an organized mess of guns and ammunition lay next to the large backpack she`d scavenged off a dead Brotherhood of Steel Scribe. From it she removed a clean set of clothes and spare armor. She would need to have her old armor repaired before she considered it functional again. For now she'd make do with a pair of black denim shorts and a rust colored halter top Cait had given her. She didn`t bother with too much armor since it would only slow her down. The boots from the previous day stayed, although they too would need to be replaced soon. A pair of comfortable fingerless gloves paired with a matching duster jacket finished up most of her preparations. When she was fully clothed the woman returned outside to the patio area, only to spot the power light for the lift blinking weakly. Without hesitation she grabbed her favorite gun; a modified gauss rifle, and stared down it's scope at who was bold enough to fuck with the lift. The person she saw standing at the lower call panel making a bewildered, annoyed face was none other than Gage.

 _At least he`s an early riser,_ she thought, and raised her voice to yell at him. "Quit pushing the button before you break the damn thing, I`ll let you up in a minute!" The raider below looked up at his Overboss in confusion, but raised his hands in a gesture of acknowledgement.

* * *

The ride up seemed smoother than he recalled, Gage thought, as the makeshift platform rose to the Boss`s quarters with him on it. He wondered what she`d done to it. When he reached the top he found her sitting cross legged on the bar as she munched through a box of Dandy Boy apples. Her rifle was leaning against the counter, along with a smaller backpack that had seen better days. The revolver he`d seen her use the day before rested next to one knee as the woman ate. She wore clean clothes, different from the ones he`d saw on her before, and her shoulder length hair was damp and curling on the side where it wasn`t cropped close to her scalp. Gage almost didn't recognize her.

"Something wrong with the lift...Boss?"

"Nope. I disabled it after you left last night so no one could get the drop on me in my sleep." She explained, as she pitched the empty box in a nearby waste basket. She gulped down a third of a bottle of water and wiped her mouth. He stared at her, still a bit caught off guard. She hadn`t been bad-looking covered in dirt and blood, but now she was downright pretty. Even the long scar on her jaw or the faint ones on her legs didn`t diminish her looks. He was distracted by how long her legs actually were for a moment. Gage knew she was shorter than him by almost half a foot, but the shorts made her slender limbs seem to go on forever. The raider shook himself mentally and managed to muster words.

"I see." He looked around, just to look at something else, and noticed the chains laying discarded next to the door leading inside. A gun brace mounted on the counter in front of it was currently empty, but the fact that it was present let him know she was more than a little paranoid. He approved, if only because he felt paranoia kept one alive longer. Gage gestured to the trap."Feeling insecure?"

"I prefer the term cautious. I wasn`t expecting to see you quite this early. Barely anyone else seems to be awake yet." She told him as she slid off the bar and tucked her handgun in to a shoulder holster. From the way the equipment hung Gage realized that she was left handed.

"I`m an early riser, and we have a lot to do. That ain`t gonna be a problem, is it? Or am I about to be disappointed?"

"Not likely, I`ve been awake for a while. I`m ready to head out whenever you are."

"Good, I`ll follow your lead. Where do you want to start?" Gage was pleasantly surprised when they set out quickly; trying to persuade Colter had been like pulling teeth. The more he was around her, the more Gage was learning that the new Overboss had very little in common with her forerunner. Their conversation continued as they reached the plaza and hiked northwest over the river.

"I've decided we should hit Dry Rock Gulch first."

"I`m on board. Any reason why that one in particular?"

"From what you`ve told me, the ghouls don`t leave Kiddie Kingdom, so they`re more or less contained. Nothing has come past the gates of the Bottling Plant or the Safari Zone so far, and I want to get my hands on some more pulse grenades before we try to deal with the robots in the Galactic Zone. Dry Rock Gulch is full of Bloodworms, you said?" She was asking more as a confirmation than out of ignorance; she hadn`t forgotten overnight.

"Yeah. They`re uglier than a Mirelurk`s backside and fast as hell. Been spreading throughout that area since we got here and noticed them. None of the parties we tried to send made it back."

"Then we need to wipe those Bloodworms out before they spread to the rest of the park, don`t you think? I`ve never seen one before, and I`d like to keep it that way after today. That means finding wherever they`re coming from and taking out the source."

"The Queen and her hive."

"Exactly. So are you ready to get this done?" She asked as they stood outside the entrance to the Old West themed park. Gage smirked at her and drew his gun.

"Sounds like it's time to put bullets in faces."

* * *

'Danger! Bloodworms!' A makeshift sign greeted the pair underneath a large metal archway. The Overboss purposely ignored it as she walked by, her pistol already drawn. She had no idea what exactly the bloodworms looked like, but she was certain she would find out soon. Gage stayed a few steps behind her and off to one side so they didn`t accidentally shoot each other. They passed a line of battered wooden buildings which formerly sold souvenirs, when Gage paused.

"Do you feel that?"

"What? Oh, shi-" The Overboss`s eyes widened as something large came tunneling under the earth towards her. It broke the surface, leaping at her. All she saw was a grotesque teeth-lined mouth that split in to four parts before it was landing on her. Her finger squeezed the trigger purely on instinct and the creature dropped in a fleshy, spiny heap at her feet. Before she had time to step back or sigh in relief four more of the monsters appeared. Three of them fell under fire from Gage`s assault rifle, shrieking as they died. He was smiling until his gun clicked empty as the last bloodworm burst from the earth right in front of him.

"Shit, gotta reload!"

"Gage, move!"

The man didn`t need telling twice as he dove to his left to take cover behind a wooden barrel. _Crack!_ A bullet sunk deep in to the worm`s tough hide and it died hungry. The Overboss investigated it`s corpse, making sure it was truly dead before turning to her companion.

"You still in one piece, Gage?"

"All good. Nice shot boss." That was as close to a thank you as he was going to give.

"No problem." That was as close to a welcome as he was going to get from her.

They continued on, taking down more minor enemies along the way. Their first glimpse of the main street was not encouraging. The place was a complete wreck, choked with weeds and debris. A skeleton wearing scraps of trademark Operator armor lay to one side of the dusty path. The bones were long since picked clean by some animal or hungry beast. It was not the first of its kind that Gage and Frost had spotted as they made their way towards Mad Mulligan's Minecart Ride, where they suspected the nest would be located. While exploring they crossed paths with a robot wearing a sheriff's badge. It encouraged them to go along with some hairbrained role playing mission, which Frost decided they didn't have time for. Her voice was honey sweet as she mocked it in an approximation of a southern drawl and convinced it to give up the full code to a safe they were supposed to find. Gage smirked at her impression as he listened and kept watch for more enemies. They looted the key from the safe and ventured to the mine. When they passed Ol` Sugartop a pair of stingwings challenged them. Frost had dealt with these overgrown bugs and their poisonous attacks before. She targeted their tails and shot off the stingers of both before they could stab her and Gage to inject their venom

Once inside the mine the explorers were almost blind. The dim blue light given off by Frost`s Pip-Boy screen was just enough to see by, but the edges of the room remained in shadow. She switched to a shotgun she`d had slung over her back. It would be harder to make precise shots in this low visibility, and she felt more comfortable with the twelve gauge than her pistol.

"That's fine, I didn't want to sleep tonight anyways." Gage muttered, staring at something on the ground with an expression of disgust. It was the corpse of a trader, rotting and bloated. The facial features were nearly indistinguishable. His partner made a noise of agreement. They began to move on, deeper in to the mine, when the body twitched. Gage pointed; "The fuck was that?"

"Hell if I know. Some kind of bugs inside maybe?" Frost shrugged as she racked a shell in the chamber of her gun. Gage likewise had already checked his rifle and reloaded it once more. They each took a few steps towards the passage leading down, and the body moved again. This time the motion was pronounced; the stomach distending sickeningly and desiccated skin splitting. The Overboss gagged from both the sight and stench as what appeared to be bloodworm larvae tore through the remains and attacked them. She couldn't help it, and her breakfast came back up...right on the attacking bloodworm. The creature seemed as stunned as she was, rolling away and squealing as the acidic vomit burned it`s flesh. A few shots later from both of the raiders and the floor was littered with worm guts. Gage looked over at the woman who`d promised to help him clear out Nuka World. She was gargling a bottle of water and spitting it out to wash away the bad taste. He busted out laughing, unable to contain himself.

"Holy crap, I`ve never seen projectile vomit used as a weapon before! Hahaha!"

"I have a sensitive nose. You just don't notice the smell `cause you live with a pack of animals." Frost remarked sharply. _Great, I`m such an impressive Overboss._ Her thoughts were sarcastic, but she took the job seriously and prepared to finish what they`d started. She tied a rag over her nose and the two of them continued. The mine was riddled with the bodies of raiders and the traders who had come here trying to escape them. There was little loot to be discovered, and the woman was getting tired of the smell of putrefying meat. By the time they reached the large main chamber of the mine, she was ready to be done. She warned Gage before tossing a grenade in to the middle of the room. This caused all of the larva infested bodies in the immediate area to expel their inhabitants, and the Queen emerged. She was more hideous than imagined, and harder to kill. While most of the smaller beasts either died or took heavy damage from the grenade, the Queen was barely harmed. Eventually she was dispatched as well, allowing the raiders to leave the mine to go raise a flag for one of the gangs to take over.

"One down, four to go." Gage commented with a grin as he stood next to the Overboss. "That's more you`ve done in a day than Colter managed to in nearly a year. Who are you thinking of giving this place to?"

"I don't make promises lightly. I gave you my word, Gage. I intend to keep it." The other said mildly. "I`m thinking...the Disciples."

"Yeah? Good. Nisha will be pleased."

"Tch, I just don't want her and her merry band of psychopaths hanging around Fizztop. I sleep there now, and setting up traps every night before I go to bed is kind of a pain in the ass."

"Pfft. That's your reasoning? You must really dislike her."

"'Like' isn't a word I use very often pertaining to people. I expect Nisha would be quite willing to stab me in the back, or the front, anywhere really. It isn't that I 'dislike' her per se, but she's not as cooperative as the other leaders. I can bully or bribe my way on to the others` good sides. But Nisha is the kind of person who doesn't respect anyone. She`s used to being her own top dog and in her eyes that isn't going to change any time soon. Its best if I simply keep my word to give her gang some space to roam, and for us to stay far out of each other's` way."

"Sounds like you`ve taken my advice on each of the gangs to heart." Gage commented with approval. She seemed to have a solid handle on the situation. Maybe she would be the one to deliver Nuka World to the gangs after all.

"You know them better than I do. I may be in charge around here now, but if I want it to stay that way, and I do, I`ll take the advice of an expert. I told you I was trusting you to help me out. This is a partnership after all."

"I may have a few useful skills, but I'm no expert." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as they headed back towards Nuka Town and continued their discussion.

"Oh? And what would you say your talents are then?"

"Aside from being a good shot and having a foul mouth?" He chuckled and adjusted his eye patch. "I`m a hell of a cook."

"Haha, yeah, right."

"Seriously. You don`t live as long as I have and not learn how to feed yourself properly."

"You`ve lived all of what, like 20 years? I've met hundred year old ghouls that don't know a cooking pot from a helmet."

"Their loss. And I'm twenty seven, little lady."

"You don't have enough scars to be that old." She laughed, sounding pleased. They had just gotten one step closer to taking back Nuka World, and she was in a good mood because of it. Gage shared the sentiment.

"I have more than you."

"That you can see. I`m over two hundred years old, whippersnapper." She adopted an over the top voice of a crotchety old woman and mimed walking with a cane.

"Bullshit. You`d have to be a ghoul to live that long." Porter called what he was sure was a bluff and frowned. He was met with an earnest shake of the head by Colter`s killer. She replied;

"Or a Vault dweller."


	5. Unearthed

_**A/N: Forewarning for course dialogue (if you haven't gotten enough warning from the story rating and the fact that it's about raiders), as well as companion questline and location spoilers in this chapter.**_

 **Chapter Four: Unearthed**

"You`re a Vault dweller? _You?_ Tell me another one, this time with a punchline." Gage simply could not believe the Overboss`s outrageous claim.

"It`s true, although I left nearly three years ago. Where else do you think I got this from?" Frost held up her wrist, drawing attention to the Pip-Boy strapped there.

"Off a trader would be my best guess." He eyed the portable piece of tech dubiously. Even if a merchant did manage to come across something that rare, the odds of finding a functioning one were next to impossible. He doubted it was the kind of thing a person simply sold or gave away. Even Gage had to admit the chances were slim, but the idea that a battle hardened raider like the Overboss was originally a Vault dweller seemed even less plausible.

"Not likely. I looted it off of the Overseer`s remains in Vault 111, since it was the only way to manually open the Vault door."

"Say I humor you, Boss. Even if you were from one of those underground bunkers, why would you leave? Why take off from a place with no radiation, no monsters, stocked with clean water, food, and real beds? Most of the stories I've heard make the Vaults sound like paradise compared to whats out here."

"Because most of what you`ve heard has been lies. Hasn't anyone ever told you if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is?" Frost looked sideways over at him with her eyebrows raised. She hadn't figured Porter for a man that was easily deceived. Then again, he'd put his faith in Colter, who was now stone cold dead and probably rotting in a heap somewhere.

"Hm." Gage made a noncommittal noise but said, "I suppose you may have a point there. Then how do you explain the Gunners in Vault 95? Been a while since a few of `em came through here, but they rolled in with a supply of chems and alcohol bigger than any I`d ever seen about six months back. They must`ve made a hell of a profit from selling it all. Claimed they got their stock from the Vault."

"It`s true that some of the Vaults are full of useful salvage. But do you know what 95 was really used for? It wasn't a shelter from the nukes. That's just the lie Vault-Tec sold to get people to want to live there. Like the other Vaults, 95 was used for human experimentation. The reason it was full to bursting with chems and alcohol is due to its use as a facility monitoring addiction in a social research program. The residents were all former drug addicts or alcoholics, who were brought in and underwent a therapy program to rehabilitate them. After a few years one of Vault-Tec`s 'scientists' on the inside opens up this huge cache of chems and lets the dwellers at it, to see if they stick to the program or just dive off the deep end. You can probably guess what happened."

"If that's true that's seriously fucked up. But how would you know that? You said you were from Vault 111."

"I am. I also told you I ran with the Gunners for nearly a year. I`ve been to Vault 95. There`s a machine in the bowels of that place that can be used to cure the most severe chem addictions. It's an extremely painful process, but it works. I took one of the mercs I ran with there as a personal favor to her. She wanted to get clean so she wouldn't kill herself with Psycho."

"That shit will mess you up." Gage agreed, and added; "Never touched it myself, but I`ve seen what it does to a person. That friend of yours...did that _actually_ work on her?"

"Yeah. She was as weak as a newborn for a couple days afterward but she hasn't touched a chem since. Still drinks, but only for special occasions." Frost thought back to the last time she'd seen Cait. It had to have been almost two months now. They had parted ways after a bad argument where Cait had tried to tell her friend she was crazy for wanting to take on the Institute using a bunch of raiders. She hadn't even listened to the other woman`s logic behind the plan. _So much for being the best of friends,_ the Overboss smiled bitterly. She still missed the feisty redhead. There were more than a few people the survivor missed. The idea that she didn't need anyone was a stubborn lie she kept telling herself so she wouldn't feel so damn lonely. Gunners did not show weakness. Neither did raiders. Vulnerability would get her killed, especially in her current position. That she had admitted to even having helped Cait might very well have been a mistake. _What was I thinking? I don't even know this guy. We`re working together for the moment, but that's all. I can't afford to slip up in front of him again. He and his gang leaders had their last Overboss killed. Given, I had a hand in it too, but I didn't have a choice. I was going to have to kill him anyways to get these cutthroats to follow me. I have to get him to trust me, but we cant be friends. Raiders don't have friends. The Overboss least of all. Better move this conversation along,_ she thought as she realized her error. It shouldn't have mattered to her that Gage believed her or not. Now she was stuck in the uncomfortable position of trying to get him to believe she was being honest with him, that she was someone he could trust to lead. Simultaneously she had to make the attempt to avoid divulging any further unnecessary details about herself.

"That's...incredible. And incredibly sick, at the same time." His scarred brow wrinkled in thought, the large metal eyepatch hid part of his face. Gage rubbed at the dark stubble on his jaw and asked; "That's not some tall tale then? There were rumors, but I never saw any truth in them. Vault-Tec really did experiment on people?"

"They still do." Frost told him with certainty. "Not all of the Vaults have been found yet. Each one is reputed to have run a different type of experiment on its inhabitants. There are still people out there living or trapped underground, that have no idea of what the Wasteland is like."

"Fuck. That makes some of us raiders look like stand up citizens. We mostly do what we do to survive. But that's just..."

"Sadistic? Yeah, it is."

"Then you... What did they do to you in Vault 111? Some kind of anti-aging serum?" Gage was having a hard time wrapping his head around this new information, but he believed the boss. Up until this point she hadn't given him any reason to doubt her. Most people wouldn't admit to being a Vault dweller at all. She had not hesitated to tell him about her plan to take on the Institute, either. Gage was beginning to learn that the Overboss seemed to be an all or nothing kind of girl. As far as he could tell she wasn't being half assed with him, although he knew there were some things she wasn't ready to talk about when she responded to his inquiry.

"I...we...were all frozen. The Overseer and 'doctors' that greeted us when we arrived told us we would have to go through a decontamination procedure inside these pods. Everyone was separated, including my...family, and neighbors. We were put on ice. I saw more of the inside of the Vault while I was trying to escape than I ever did while I 'lived' there. When I woke up everyone was dead or gone."

"How? Did they open the Vault and just leave you, or what?"

"Not exactly. Vault 111 was never meant to be a long-term residence facility. They weren't stocked with enough supplies to support all of us, which is why I'm assuming we were frozen. The caretakers, that is; the scientists and the Overseer, plus the maintenance personnel, ran out of food pretty quickly. According to the computer records I hacked in to, they were waiting for an all-clear signal from Vault-Tec that never came. All of the staff wanted to open the vault and leave, but the Overseer refused to let them. There was a mutiny, and they ended up killing each other. Without someone to maintain the life support systems, the cryo pods malfunctioned, and most of us died."

"What happened to the ones that didn't? Die, I mean."

"Some people came in to the Vault. One was a scientist and the other was a hired gun. They opened my pod looking for something. When they didn't like what they found the mercenary shot me and sealed me back inside; I froze up again. They took what they wanted and left. When the systems failed completely I thawed out and woke up." Every word was true. The only things Frost omitted were that the intruders had been looking for her child, and that there had been one other survivor; her ex-husband. She hadn't known right away. He`d thawed before she had, and assumed she was dead. She had never seen the look on his face as he stood outside her pod, his hands and face pressed against the bloodied frosted glass as he swore he would find whoever killed her and took their son Shaun. An ugly, oily feeling of hatred and betrayal welled up in her gut as she thought about how he'd left her without a second thought.

"How did you survive being shot?" Gage asked curiously as the two of them crossed the bridge leading back in to Nuka World. To their right loomed the planet shaped structures and alien towers of the Galactic Zone.

"Being frozen is probably what saved me. I was shot in the shoulder, but nothing vital was hit. It`s a good thing the guy was a terrible shot up close. A few inches lower or to the right and I would have been dead. I think the only thing that convinced them was how much I bled. Thankfully the cold slowed my heart rate enough that the blood congealed and stopped the possible spread of infection. When I came to I stumbled around in the dark until I found the Overseer`s apartment. There was a surgical grade med kit locked in a cabinet in his bathroom. I used the stimpak and some sutures inside to patch myself up."

Gage was giving her a blank look. Whether it was because he didn't understand what the word 'sutures' meant, or because he disbelieved she was capable of giving herself stitches without anesthetic wasn't apparent. He blinked skeptically and looked her up and down. "So a little thing like yourself just survived being shot, walked out of a Vault in to the wasteland after a couple of centuries, easy as you please, and joined up with the Gunners?"

"Pfft. Haha. Hell no. I limped out, carrying the Overseer`s pistol, first of all. Went to my old neighborhood nearby and scavenged what I could for supplies. Then I started looking for the dickhead that shot me so I could find out what the hell happened." She didn't want to tell him about all of this, but he was easy to talk to, and she was knee deep in it now. They were passing Fizztop Mountain. The Disciples guarding the entrance to their lair looked a little less unfriendly than they had before. They weren't smiling, exactly. But one of them nodded at Frost and Gage in approval as they passed by. Throughout the plaza this phenomenon repeated itself. It seemed the gang had seen their flag raised and were pleased with their new territory. The Pack members and the Operators however, were visibly sulking. A few were glaring; clearly they were jealous. Gage interrupted the Overboss`s observations, although she knew he`d noticed the other raiders` reactions too.

"And?"

"And, what?"

"Did you find the guy? What happened?"

"I killed him." Frost replied, and left it at that. They passed by the Parlor and the Nuka Cade, and had nearly reached their destination in the marketplace when her companion stopped walking. "What?" She asked, and he pointed.

Near one of the stalls an argument was breaking out. A short man dressed in a tan leather duster that was missing a sleeve was threatening the vendor. He had the front of the larger man`s clothes grasped in one hand and a combat knife in the other. He was all but pulling the guy over his own counter. Frost would have recognized that narrow-chinned, lanky bastard anywhere. Even if she hadn't heard the dulcet sound of MacCready`s interrogation techniques numerous times before. Her first thought was to wonder how much deeper in trouble she possibly get. She had not expected the ex Gunner to follow her here. She`d made it abundantly clear she had no interest in continuing to work with him, or so she'd thought.

"How about you tell me what I want to know and no one has to get hurt?"

"The only one about to get hurt here is you, pal." The merchant told his assailant as he spotted the Overboss and her second in command coming towards them.

"You`ll be missing an eye before your raider friends can fire a shot." MacCready barked. He thought the trader was talking about the patrol guards on the catwalks above them.

"I`m not friends with this guy, but last time I checked, I`m faster with a gun than you are with a blade, MacCready. That guy you`re harassing, works for me." Frost was already regretting this. Why did _he_ have to show up _here_ of all places? She knew there was no way she was going to get out of talking to him. Not even a week here and her past was already catching up with her. She`d thought the raiders would be a good barrier between her and the rest of the Commonwealth. MacCready`s arrival proved her wrong. She glared at him as he abruptly released the other man and spun around to face his previous partner. About ten feet of space separated them, and her pistol was already drawn, unwavering as it pointed at his chest. A few steps behind her and off to one side stood Gage, his rifle also at the ready.

"You always were a tough lady, Frost, but I never expected you to be running with raiders." MacCready tucked the knife back in his belt and put his hands in the air, clearly surrendering.

"You`re looking at the new Overboss of Nuka World. Unlike with the Gunners, raiders don`t mind following a woman. All I had to do was kill their previous Overboss and the position became mine." She didn't lower her gun. Neither did Gage or the other raiders watching the confrontation.

"The Gunners are cap hungry mercenaries who want to pretend they`re hardass soldiers with a code. Turns out I didn`t agree with all their policies either, which is why I left."

"Not sure I believe that. What are you doing here, MacCready?" The boss asked flatly.

"Looking for you."

"If you came to try and drag me back then you'd better turn around and leave now. My trigger finger is getting itchy."

"I swear on my life that's not why I'm here." The mercenary saw that his statement gave his acquaintance pause, and he continued. "I told you I`ve left the Gunners. You`re the only one that's ever left and lived to tell about it as far as I know, and it started a trend. People are defecting left and right, joining up with Talon Company, or even heading as far as the NCR to work for the Crimson Caravan or the Gunrunners. Barnes and Winlock are furious. They heard about the trail of jobs you took on your way to get here, and the pile of caps you made."

"As if I care. Cut to the chase." Her arm was getting tired, but her she wasn't showing it yet. If the next words out of his mouth weren't an actual explanation she really was going to shoot him.

"You`re getting impatient, I see. Fine. The Gunners that are left have been hunting down and killing everyone they can trying to find you. Barnes blames you for starting the whole 'Gunner gone rogue' movement, and Winlock has had it out for you since you refused his offer. They`re coming for you, and for me since I left too. I hitched a ride with that chick to come warn you." MacCready jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of a small trade caravan led by a thin woman with a sallow face and bruised looking eyes. Her name was Cricket, and she didn't appear too happy to be named in affiliation with the merc. Frost slowly lowered her gun and sheathed it in her shoulder holster.

"Boss?" Gage spoke up as he watched her put away her weapon. The tension in the air slowly began to drain away as others followed her lead. Gage wasn`t sure he was ready to take this stranger`s word at face value, however.

"It`s alright Gage." The woman gestured for him to lower his rifle as well, but did not take her eyes off the newcomer. She asked MacCready; "Let me guess, you didn`t come to warn me out of the goodness of your heart, did you?"

"You know me well. I came to ask for your help."


	6. Location of the Heart

**A/N: apologies for the late update. I`ve been out sick the last few days while the weather plays hell with my sinuses. Regular updates will resume now. This chapter was a welcome challenge to write, and I hope it turned out well. Let me know what you think by leaving me a review please.**

 **Chapter Five: Location of the Heart**

As far as MacCready was concerned, there weren't enough caps in the Commonwealth to persuade him to join the raiders. His ex partner seemed to be getting along with them rather well however. He wasn't certain why Frost had chosen to join them, or how she had managed to earn their respect and loyalty. The one thing MacCready _was_ sure of was that had their leader been anyone else, he would already be dead. None of the faces here were friendly, particularly the one belonging to the man standing near the Overboss`s right. His light brown hair was styled in to a mohawk, and the one hazel green eye that wasn't covered by a metal eyepatch glared at the mercenary suspiciously. The raider lowered his rifle when Frost motioned for him to, but he did so in a manner that was deliberately slow to demonstrate his distrust of the new arrival. Robert took an instant dislike to him; he could tell already they weren't going to get along. His hope that they wouldn't have to deal with each other much were dashed when the woman whose aid he came to enlist interrupted his and Gage`s staring contest.

"If you were expecting me to drop everything to help you parley with Barnes and Winlock, you`re going to be disappointed. I'm not inclined to waste my time negotiating with those idiots."

"I`m not planning a negotiation. I just want your help getting them off my back. Killing them would work just fine too."

"What`s in it for me?" She asked coolly as she crossed her arms.

"Other than eliminating a threat to your own life, and my thanks?"

"If you hadn't noticed pretty much everything in the Commonwealth is a threat to my life, MacCready. There isn`t a living creature around that doesn`t want to kill you. Humans are the most resourceful, but they aren't unique in their murderous urges."

"I can offer you caps."

"Not enough."

"Boss, why are we wasting time on this guy? After clearing out that park this morning we should be regrouping and discussing how best to tackle the next one, don`t you think?" Gage interrupted with his opinion.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Oh, come on! Who is this scumbag, and why does he even get a say?" If MacCready sounded exasperated it was because he was both desperate and annoyed. Porter stepped forward aggressively, ready to run MacCready out of Nuka World or gun him down. Frost stopped him with a hand on his arm and an intense stare.

"Don`t. I`ve seen that mercenary shoot a ghoul between the eyes from a hundred yards away. He has more long range kills under his belt than most Brotherhood of Steel members I`ve met, and if you attack him he`ll add you to that count without a second thought, Gage."

"You think he`ll live long after, with all the raiders here?" Porter asked acidly. What he thought was; _you would just let him?_ The Overboss hadn't moved her hand yet; she knew the situation was a hair's breadth away from spiraling out of control. Her tone remained hard but her face softened around the eyes just the tiniest bit as she replied;

"Not a chance in hell. I'd kill him myself as soon as he made a move, but that wouldn't make you any less dead. Then I would have the corpses of two allies to clean up. I need you alive."

"What about him?" Gage jerked his chin at MacCready, but his disdainful tone was met only by the Gunner`s smirk.

"He`s a pain in the damn ass but he might prove useful."

"Aw, don`t make me blush." Robert adjusted his hat. The signature .308 rounds tucked in to a band around it gleamed dully in the sunlight. Some might have even thought he looked charming. Frost was not one of them.

"Let me make this perfectly clear. You are on raider turf now. Out in the Commonwealth, Barnes and Winlock _may try_ to kill you. But here in Nuka World my new friends and I _will_ end you if you don't show some respect. Gage is my second in command. So don't go pushing his buttons." She wasn't asking, but demanding.

"Okay, I get it. Understood. I don't have anything else to offer, so I guess I'll have to take my chances on my own."

"That isn't what I said. As it happens, I'm feeling generous today." Seeing the scowl Gage was giving her and the dubious expressions some of the raiders wore she explained. "I can make arrangements to get Barnes and Winlock off your back, but you`ll need to do something for us first."

"What do you have in mind?" MacCready didn't like where this was going, but he also didn't have any other options. He had contacts in the caravans that could get him out of the Commonwealth if he _needed_ , although that wasn't what he _wanted_. He was convinced the cure for his son Duncan`s illness was hidden somewhere in the Commonwealth. There was no way he would leave until he had it. His son's life was more important to him than his own.

"Nuka World has five theme parks in addition to Nuka Town, all of which were overrun with hostile creatures. Gage and I cleared out one this morning before you showed up, emptying out the rest is still my top priority. You want a favor? Do me one first by putting your sniping skills to work."

"Take out some of the local trash, huh? Since you`re not giving me much of a choice, I`m in." MacCready agreed with a nod of his head. He didn`t like being manipulated, but killing stuff sounded like an appealing way to vent some of his pent up frustration, and a fair enough trade.

"Are you sure this asshole won`t just get in the way, Boss?" Gage had simmered down a bit, but still didn`t appear wholly pleased.

"He`ll do what I tell him to while he`s here." She raised an eyebrow as if daring the merc to argue. She knew she`d already won.

"You won`t have any arguments from me as long as you hold up your end. Can`t promise I`ll be friendly with your...companions, but I won`t cause trouble if they don`t." He narrowed his eyes pointedly at Gage. The other man bit out a response.

"Suits me fine. He puts a toe out of line though..."

"And I`ll deal with it, Gage. I`m counting on you to watch my back, not MacCready`s toes." She smirked just a little. Porter caught it and blew his breath out in a huff to avoid looking too amused at her pun.

"Aww c`mon I have some sexy toes." MacCready couldn`t resist commenting.

"Shut up and wait by the door over there while I find something to eat." Frost told her former partner. She wanted to sound mean but may not have quite pulled it off because she was trying not to chuckle. MacCready could really get on her nerves like no one else, but his humorous antics had never ceased to entertain.

Gage obviously did not share his boss`s opinion. He walked next to and behind her slightly, a surly expression on his face. The pair of them made their way over to one of the vendor`s stall where various food were displayed. The smell of roasting meat permeated the area around the stand as one of the two merchants tending it turned a skewer of mutt chops over an open flame. The other trader greeted her customers and asked what they wanted to eat. Looking over the options available Gage`s mouth began to water. He definitely appreciated food, and enjoyed the experience of eating a good meal, but lately he had been too busy to eat properly. All of the arrangements required to keep things rolling in Nuka World took up a great deal of his time.

Thankfully the Boss had taken some of the strain off of him by talking with Mason, Mags, and Nisha. She knew little about the mechanical workings of the park yet though, and hadn`t had much opportunity to involve herself with the trade caravans yet. Without their uninvited guest now would have been a good chance for her to begin acquainting herself with how things ran around the marketplace. Instead, Gage anticipated a lot of babysitting in the near future.

What had possessed her to allow the Gunner to stay was unknown to him. Porter thought the two of them had done well on their own clearing out Dry Rock Gulch; they didn`t need anyone else getting in the way. While he browsed the various food selections he paid attention to his companion. She didn`t seem uneasy or particularly ruffled. He was surprised at this, and couldn`t help but wonder if her calm was a facade. Either she really trusted this MacCready guy, or she was damn good at bluffing. He just couldn`t figure her out. Not an hour ago the two of them had been getting along like guns and bullets. The next thing Gage knew some stranger shows up and it feels like she`d trying to sideline him.

If she was so happy with his efforts, why did she invite that scrawny mercenary along on their next expedition? _Did I do something to make her distrust me?_ Porter thought back to when his gun had clicked empty and she`d stepped in and dropped the bloodworm that had been about to turn him in to it`s meal. He dismissed the idea mostly, on the grounds that _she_ was the one who`d lost her breakfast over the first exploding rotted corpse they`d seen. Gage doubted that Frost had a problem with his combat capabilities. So what was it then, did she not trust him? _Does she think I`m going to kill her when we finish clearing the parks? Maybe we didn`t settle that topic as well as I thought during our talks the other night. Is she keeping that weak chinned Gunner around as insurance? She told me she would kill him if he tried to shoot me. It didn`t seem like she was lying. How well do I really know her though? She`s told me a lot of things, like the story about being a Vault Dweller, and admitting she was with the Gunners at some point. It looks like the last one is true, since this guy showed up and they obviously have dealt with each other before. How much is safe to believe though? What do I really know about her?_ His train of thought was interrupted as their food finished being prepared. He`d gotten a few of the mutt skewers and a Nuka Cola, she`d ordered part of a radstag haunch and a roasted ear of corn.

"Sure you don`t want something to wash that down with, Overboss?" The trader who`d made their food asked cheerfully.

"Nope, I`ll stick to this." She held up a canteen Gage had`t noticed tucked away in to one of the pouches attached to her belt.

"Bit early to be drinking, innit?" Gage asked disapprovingly.

"It`s just water. I rarely drink alcohol since I prefer to keep my head clear." Frost explained while they slowly began to walk back towards the marketplace`s exit.

"Huh. Come to think of it, I haven`t seen you drink anything but water since you got here." He observed with a frown. He recalled seeing her imbibe bottled water both this morning and while they were in the Minecart ride.

"It`s harder to mask the taste of poison if the drink has no flavor or color."

"That`s why you didn`t buy a drink from that merchant? You`re worried about being poisoned?"

"I`m not worried, just careful. I know _you_ wanted Colter dead, but that doesn`t mean everyone did. You and MacCready are the only people I trust here. The odds of Nisha, Mags, or Mason trying to kill me are fairly low, at least until I finish clearing out the parks. But there are others. The traders especially. I`m sure you can imagine what kind of chaos it would cause should I suddenly die. You could take my place, but you`ve already told me you aren`t willing to..."

"True, and the gang leaders would all try, but they would probably kill each other in the process." Gage thought out loud, and saw where she was going with this. It all made sense. Frost was much, much smarter than Colter. More than Gage had given her credit for. It made him uneasy, and he was glad that at least for now she seemed to be on his side. He still couldn`t kick the feeling that she didn`t trust him, in spite of her words to the contrary.

Harvester had been the same way; he`d told Porter countless times how much he valued his ideas, and how much he trusted him. Younger Porter`s old boss hadn`t been as intelligent or resourceful by half though; Gage had simply been too inexperienced to see that at the time. She could say it a hundred times, but he refused to make the same mistake again. He glanced over at her out of the corner of his unpatched eye as he ate, questioning her intentions even further. Being more observant than the people around him was part of what had kept Gage alive so long. He thought; _what do I know about her? What are the facts so far? I have never seen her use alcohol or chems. She paranoid and she`s careful. Earlier she covered my back, but she didn`t risk her own safety to do it since everything around her was already dead. She also didn`t hesitate to draw her weapon on someone she claims is an ally, but appears to want to avoid conflict with that person if possible._ While Gage was mentally ticking through his list of hard truths about the new Overboss he noticed something else.

MacCready was watching them approach from where he leaned casually against the wall by the door. Frost had called him by his surname in spite of the two of them appearing to have some previous relationship. That made Gage think that they were just close enough to have had a working professional association. However, out of all the people in the Commonwealth the man had come to her when running from a group as dangerous and well-armed as the Gunners. Porter was wondering why MacCready hadn`t just left the Commonwealth altogether until it hit him that something was tying him to this area. When he thought back on how the mercenary and the Overboss had spoken with each other, combined with the intensity of the stare he was currently giving Frost, the raider began to entertain the idea that she was the reason MacCready had stayed. Maybe their relationship was more than Gage had originally perceived. _Great, just what we need. I finally get someone in here with backbone enough to kill Colter, and now this. What other loyalties does she have?_

They walked right past MacCready, without Frost saying a word since she was occupied eating. He followed them out on to the main thoroughfare and fell in to step on the Boss`s left side. Gage was on her right, since he wanted her on the side he did not wear his eye patch on, and because it somehow seemed appropriate that he was literally her right hand man. The trio were approaching the Nuka-Cade when it happened. Frost had just finished her food and tossed the bones and cob in a waste can when an explosion went off in the building next to them.

It blew out the two remaining windows on the ground floor and sent bits of glass, wood, and scrap metal flying at them. The blast was close enough that it knocked MacCready down. Gage was utterly disoriented as he suddenly found himself sprawled on the ground. Something hot and wet was running down his face. When he opened his eye he realized it was blood; not his own. To one side of his head was the Overboss`s left hand. Her other was placed on the left side of his rib cage, and her legs were tangled with his. The blood on his face belonged to her; it also stained most of her right arm and the same side of her chest. Incredulous, he stared up at her from where she had essentially tackled him to the ground. Protruding from the space just under her right collarbone was a gory, jagged piece of wood. He saw that it had speared through her and was sticking out of her back when she crawled off him to one side. If she hadn`t been in the way, he realized, he would have likely been impaled through or very close to his heart. Something stirred behind her; it was the ex Gunner. MacCready emerged from under a pile of loose wood and shingles, his coat singed and spattered with red. He blinked through a bloody mask on one side of his face where his forehead had been cut and saw them. His eyes locked with Gage`s and he was on his feet stumbling towards them a second later.

"What the fuck was that?!" MacCready asked hoarsely, coughing from the dust and smoke that filled the air.

"Smells like...chem lab..." Frost growled, then winced in pain as she tried to rise.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit! Guns out!" Porter ordered as he sat up and looked around, trying to squint through the wreckage. It did smell like a chem lab explosion, but he needed to be sure this wasn`t an assassination attempt. He squinted at MacCready. "We need to move, now!"

"Sssstm...k" The Overboss was on her feet, dizzily trying to form words. Her gun was shaking in her left hand, and her eyes were bright with pain. MacCready looked at her with an expression of horror. He said to her;

"Lee, your shoulder..."

"Ssstmpk." She agreed, hissing. She blinked twice at him as Gage put a hand on the small of her back. The blood was spreading fast and made her clothing sticky under his touch. They needed to get her out of the open area before anyone saw what had happened and tried to take advantage of the situation. Already the noises of footsteps and shouts were drawing closer. MacCready`s face was both furious and worried, he told Gage;

"I`ll carry her. Tell me where to go."

"No." Gage replied sharply, not moving his hand.

"The hell you mean, 'no'?"

"I mean I need you to shoot. She said you`re the best shot she knows, now prove it. I`ll carry her since I know where we need to go."

"Sss..." Frost staggered a few steps and swayed. Her vision was blurry with pain and from blood loss, and the rubble strewn terrain wasn't easy to navigate. Black and white smoke mixed with the acrid odor of burnt rubber and hell knows what else stung her watering eyes and made her nose itch. Blindly she was trying to move forward, with little success. The men couldn`t understand she was trying to ask for a stimpack. Gage picked her up bodily just as she was about to trip and put her chest over his shoulder, holding on to her by the waist and legs. He began to move, not exactly running for fear of tripping himself or jarring the Boss too much. MacCready didn`t complain again as he followed, a loaded rifle in his hands. The trio circled around the back side of the Nuka-Cade. Gage avoided the main pathway, so they wouldn't pass within eyesight of The Parlor and its Operators. They made it to the plaza and were about to round the fountain when Frost lost consciousness. Gage knew because he felt her slide the gun she was still clutching through one of the belts adorning his pants right before her body went limp. He abandoned caution and ran to the elevator lift, MacCready on his heels. The mercenary urgently smashed the call button with his elbow and they began to rise.


	7. Blood and Honor

**A/N: This chapter was the hardest one for me to write so far. I rewrote it probably three or four times. T-T Anyway, thank you to those who have left reviews, they really encourage me. If you are enjoying this story don`t forget to favorite/follow it at the bottom of the page. I look at the traffic stats every day and nothing motivates me more than seeing how many people have taken the time out of their day to read my work.**

 **Chapter Six: Death and Dishonor**

Gage paced restlessly around the Overboss`s small kitchen. He and MacCready had already checked every corner of the apartment for intruders. Just to be safe RJ had gone to disable the elevators after they`d disconnected power to the lift. He`d returned moments later only to comment that it had already been done. Apparently their boss was more paranoid than Gage had thought, as she`d left grenade bouquets and landmines in front of the elevators` doors. He was infinitely glad he`d stuck to Frost`s orders and only used the lift. MacCready watched the raider pace back and forth with an annoyed expression. He pointed out;

"You`re going to wear a hole in what little carpet is left if you keep that up."

"Fuck the carpet, we have bigger problems. In case you hadn't noticed, the Overboss is half dead." Gage looked over to where he`d laid the woman on her bed. She was deathly pale from blood loss. Rummaging through the medicine cabinet on one wall had produced several Stimpacks and other first aid supplies. MacCready seemed convinced that they had gotten the medicine in to her in time to keep her alive. He`d examined something on the Pip-Boy Frost was still wearing, which was amazingly undamaged save for a few small scuffs on the case. Porter wasn`t as optimistic, and he wanted someone to blame.

"Of course I noticed; she`s my partner. She`ll pull through, so unbunch your underwear already."

"Like hell. She's _our_ Overboss, and she looks like a fucking corpse. If you`re so sure she`s going to be fine then why hasn't she woken up yet?"

"Keep your voice down! Of course she looks like she's dying. She almost did, saving your sorry hide for whatever reason I don't know. Why Lee made the mistake of protecting trash like you I can't even begin to guess." MacCready shot back sharply, although he kept the volume of his speech to a whisper. Gage had stopped pacing. Now he strode over to where the mercenary was sitting at Frost`s battered kitchen table. MacCready stood up when Porter swept the medkit he was repacking off the table and scattered it`s contents on the dirty floor. He studied the seething man with a cool look. The Overboss had an expression just like it.

"I don't know why she protected me either!" The raider hissed furiously. He was scared and confused. If the Overboss-the person he knew as Frost and MacCready kept calling 'Lee' died, his own life and his dreams were as good as forfeit. He wanted to pin the whole situation on this stranger, he wanted to punch the other man in the face. Instead he attacked him verbally; "If the two of you are such good friends, why didn't she try to save _you_? Might be she thinks you`re even more worthless than 'trash like me'."

"Or she knows I can keep myself safe and thought she had to watch out for you since you`re a bleeding idiot." RJ retorted as he crossed his arms and stared his opponent down. The only motivation he had for not killing Porter Gage right now was that his partner had told him not to. He was seriously entertaining the idea of knocking him out and duct taping his mouth shut, however. What little patience he possessed was quickly dwindling.

"Water..." A female voice rasped from the corner of the room, interrupting the argument. Both men turned at the sudden noise and saw the Overboss raising her Pip-Boy free hand.

MacCready moved to go over to her, but Gage was faster. He snatched a bottle of water from a nearby counter and delivered it as he sat on the edge of the bed. RJ looked him up and down from where he stood back, then shook his head and walked out of the room. He stayed within earshot, but pretended to leave by opening the hallway door and closing it to make noise. Unless they came down the hallway they wouldn't see him, and MacCready didn`t think either were moving anytime soon.

"Here, boss." Gage muttered quietly, still sounding a bit irritable from his fight with MacCready. The former Vault dweller managed a dry reply after taking a few sips;

"Thanks."

"I didn`t think you were going to make it."

"I`m sore, but I`ll live. Who knows I was hurt?"

"No one, or we`d be under attack. After what you said earlier about the traders in the marketplace, I didn't think you`d want to risk me bringing the doctor here."

"Good call. I remember the explosion, but what happened after? How long have I been out?"

"A few hours maybe. I carried you back here and your Gunner boyfriend got a couple of Stimpacks in you."

"My...what? The hell did I miss?" She frowned deeply and tried to sit up. The whole right side of her torso and her arm ached. A small noise of pain escaped her as she managed to elevate herself so she was sitting up, her back supported against the pillows.

"MacCready. He`s out on the patio, probably balling his eyes out with relief you`re still alive." Porter replied disdainfully. It wasn`t really directed at her, but she seemed insulted by the idea.

"Doubtful. We aren`t as close as you seem to think."

"Guess you ain`t seeing and hearing the same things I am. I can`t see another reason why he would come to hostile turf looking for an ally and stick around even after that person has threatened to kill him, unless your tough act around him is just for show." The raider sounded almost...jealous to MacCready, who had trouble not snorting and blowing his cover at the absurdity of Gage`s assumption.

"Listen, Gage. Bringing Nuka World back to life is my only goal right now. I don`t have the luxury of allowing myself to get sidetracked. Even if I did, MacCready isn`t the kind of person who checks my boxes. Plus, he`s happily married with a family. There is no romantic inclination on either of our parts between us. We served together as lieutenants while we were Gunners. I was on the front lines and his squad was long range support for mine. We`ve been through hell, and came out as the only survivors. We aren`t involved like that. But he`s the best trained sniper I know, and I trust him. MacCready and I are tools to each other. We both know that jobs get done the best when you use the right tools for them." Frost explained, irked. She fixed Gage with a shrewd, tired gaze and expected him to drop the matter. In her mind they had more pressing priorities, and she wasn't sure where all the hostility was coming from.

"My bad, Boss. I`m so used to everyone disappointing me I guess I just figured you would too. Making Nuka World in to a real home has been my goal for so long now... A place free from the Minutemen, the Brotherhood, and even the Institute, uncontested by other raiders. Sounds too good to be true that anyone would come along and make that happen, after what Colter did and how hard the gang leaders are trying to tear this place apart. Seems impossible that anyone would want to, especially someone who isn't a raider." Gage shrugged, not wanting to outright apologize. Becoming a raider meant that that was something he never had to do. Frost wasn`t a raider though, she wasn`t one of them at her core. What did that mean for her loyalties? Porter knew that Frost was trying to make their partnership to retake the parks work. What he couldn't figure out, and what frustrated him the most was _why_. He knew she wanted to use the raiders to take on the Institute. But what was the catalyst for her vendetta against them? What could have made her so desperate to take down the Commonwealth`s boogeyman that she would pair up with savages like the Disciples, Operators, and Pack? Weren't there other, better 'tools' she could use, as she put it? He wasn't aware that he`d crossed a line and put his foot in to his mouth until Frost responded.

The Overboss rubbed a hand over her face and looked away. She thought she understood what he was trying to say. Part of her was angry with him for doubting her so much, even though she'd known ahead of time he wasn't going to trust her. His lack of faith still stung. She`d come to Nuka World of her own volition, and done everything he'd asked of her so far. Colter was dead. The gang leaders were being being dealt with, and the parks were being cleared for the raiders to expand. Already she had put her life on the line multiple times to earn his respect and trust. What more could she do? She sighed and glared at him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gage. It's almost like you're hoping I`ll let you down. Do you really think so little of me?"

"I don`t know what to believe anymore." Porter shook his head, scrubbing at his face as well. He was confused, exhausted, and still annoyed that MacCready was even here. Today's events had drained him on every level, which somehow made him feel worse because Frost had been through the same and then some. Empathy wasn`t something that came easily to the raider, if he had ever felt it at all. "I don`t want you to think I don`t appreciate you saving my ass. I do, I just...I ain`t fully convinced you`re on board supporting a group of people everyone else in this wasteland hates. You said it yourself that some of the things the raiders do disgust you. I thought maybe you haven`t totally cut ties with the Gunners. Maybe you would use MacCready and the others to wipe us out after we've started to trust you, then take Nuka World for them instead." If there was ever a time when he should have chosen his words more carefully, it was then. But Gage had never been great with words, and in spite of his life experiences he still lacked the sense to keep his mouth shut at certain pivotal moments. Unfortunately, Frost was already in a bad mood for various reasons, and his admission pushed her over the edge in to losing her temper.

"That`s what you 'think', or what you 'thought'? Present or past tense, Gage? Actually, don`t answer that. It doesn`t matter. Think whatever you want. I can`t make that choice for you; make up your own damn mind. I`ve done my part so far, and kept every promise I`ve made. I won`t to cater to your insecurities. When you come to the realization that I keep my word and I`m not going to stab you in the back or plot against you, let me know."

"Excuse me? Wh-" Gage began, but the Overboss cut him off. Her voice was still hoarse, but she made sure he heard it when she snapped at him;

"You`re excused. Get out and let me sleep. Repeatedly explaining myself and why you should trust me is exhausting. Have Colter`s old bed. You should take the night to consider what we`ve already accomplished working together, instead of trying to find imaginary reasons why I`m your enemy. Keep in mind that I saved your life today, without hesitation or asking for anything in return." She laid back and closed her eyes, letting her anger roll off her. Without moving her head she growled at the hallway; "MacCready, I know you`re there. Make yourself useful, and keep watch."

"Fuck you." Gage snarled at her, losing his temper as well. "You want to get pissed me for not trusting you while you let some stranger parade around the park as he pleases, and then want to replace me with him? What happened to you and I working together? When you pick him over me to clear out a park I bled to help take over of course it's going to make me doubt you. I made you the Overboss, and this is _my_ home. Yet as soon as someone else comes along, you won't even trust me to go with you to make it that. It sounds like you`re the one who`s insecure." That was the wrong thing to say. It was out of his mouth before he could think to stop himself. The Overboss`s eyes flashed open in fury. She had bolted up and tackled him off the bed before her body could process the amount of sheer agony that put her in. Porter`s head smacked the hard floor; he was momentarily stunned with shock. He grunted in pain and cursed. Frost bruised her ribs on Gage`s armor, but that didn`t stop her. She had both hands pinning his to the ground by the wrists. Her knees were on either side of his hips, preventing him from kicking his legs free. Her pitiless expression was all hard, cold, steel. She did not show any enjoyment at the situation. Her face was blank, and her eyes were like endless black pits, her jaw clenched tightly. The person who had gone in to Vault 111 over two centuries ago had been a loving, intelligent one, not wholly perfect, but with goodness at her core. But that person; Nora Charlee-Ann Westing, was buried so deep under the killer called Frost that it was hard to tell if she was still there at all. There was no hint of her in the woman that had Gage prone on the floor.

"Feels like shit to have someone you should be able to rely on doubt you, doesn't it?" The fragile scabbing over the Overboss`s wound had broken; blood slowly stained through the bandages MacCready had applied. The mercenary had returned to the room at the sound of movement, and had his gun trained steadily on Gage. He was waiting for a signal Frost never gave. She put her nose inches from Porter`s and warned him.

"Now you know how I feel. You`re right, Gage. I`m not a raider. But I am a killer, the same as you. Maybe worse. And I'm perfectly secure with my ability to take your life _or_ protect it. If I wanted you and the other raiders dead I would have already killed you. I never said I didn`t trust you, or that I was replacing you." She released his wrists and stood, aching all over. One pale hand extended in an offer to help him stand; "I don`t want to kill you, and I don`t want to fight with you. I have no intention of betraying the raiders, and I`d rather die than work with the Gunners again. You have a choice to make. Either follow my lead or don`t. You don`t trust me, fine. But don`t make the mistake of letting that hold us back from getting this place in shape."

"There are worse things you could do than kill us. Taking our home or turning us in to slaves would be some of them." Gage said slowly, too caught off guard by what had just happened to sound angry.

"Then don`t give me a reason to make those things happen." She was calming down, but no one was fooled. Porter had seen a part of Frost just then that most people didn`t witness and live. He'd just looked death in the face, and it had stared right back at him out of her gaze. This time when he spoke he chose his words carefully;

"I`ll follow your lead for now, then. But I don`t agree with everything you`re doing, so don`t expect me to be happy about it. We clear out the parks, you and I. If you think _he_ needs to tag along I won't argue, but he`d better not get in my way." He scowled at her and got to his feet without accepting her hand. The glare he flung MacCready`s way could have given a Deathclaw pause. The ex Gunner moved to block Gage`s path, but the Overboss shook her head. RJ pointed his gun at the floor and moved out of the way. The raider shoulder checked him as he stalked past out on to the patio.

"He`s going to get you killed, Lee."

"It`s 'Boss' or 'Frost', MacCready. Don`t call me by that name. Charlee`s gone, and she isn`t coming back. I'll worry about keeping what's left alive. I appreciate your concern, but you should direct it towards your family. When this is over; once Barnes and Winlock are dead, you steer clear of Nuka World and the Commonwealth. Go home, while you still have one."

"You could always leave too. Might be better for you."

"You know I can`t do that."

"Why do you need to kill that Institute bastard so badly?"

"Because he`s never going to stop. Because if it weren`t for the two of us, the Institute would have fallen years ago. Do you know how many lives that organization has ruined? How many families they`ve destroyed? How many people they`ve killed, and children they`ve orphaned for the sake of their experiments?"

"Probably not as many as the raiders. I get why you want to use them, but is this truly something you need to do? You can`t fix the whole world, L-, er, Frost."

"Yes, it is. And I don`t care about the rest of the world, it hasn`t done me any favors. But I do care about tomorrow. A future where the Institute replaces all human life with machines isn't a real future at all. They're only going to spread. It`s too late for my son, MacCready. But it's not too late for me to make a better world for yours, and everyone else`s."

"Joining the raiders isn`t going to make that happen."

"It will. You just can`t see it yet."


	8. Parlor Tricks

**A/N: Heads up for slight AU content; MacCready`s wife is still alive in this story.**

 **Chapter Seven: Parlor Tricks**

The plaza in front of Fizztop Mountain was usually a good place to find various members of the Disciple, Operator, and Pack raider gangs. Today an uncharacteristic number of Operators and slaves were milling around the area. When Gage stirred a few hours before noon the hum of their chatter was the first thing he heard. He couldn't distinguish what they were saying from where he lay in Colter's old bed, but they seemed to be hard at work on something. Disoriented and sore he got up and looked around. The sight of RJ MacCready sitting in one of the battered booths near the patio`s railing brought everything that had happened yesterday and last night back. He ran a hand over his sleep-disheveled mohawk to straighten it and glared at the mercenary, who didn`t seem to have noticed him yet. MacCready was occupied eating something that smelled delicious, which Gage could not identify from his vantage point.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." The unwelcome guest greeted Porter without turning to look at him.

"Asshole. Looks closer to the middle of the day." The raider observed groggily. He wasn`t awake enough to be annoyed yet, but he could feel a pressure forming between his eyes already.

"Nothing wrong with sleeping in a little after all the commotion yesterday."

"You`re awfully chatty." Gage dragged his feet over to the railing out of curiosity and watched the people working below. The scent of MacCready`s food caught his attention once more just as the other man asked;

"Are you gonna sit down and eat some of this or not?"

"Why are you sharing food with me?"

"Technically, it`s not mine to share. Frost made breakfast not too long ago and told me she would starve me if I ate it all without saving some for you."

"The Overboss made food? Why?"

"If I were you, I wouldn`t look a gift horse in the mouth. Just sit down and eat."

"I can find my own meals." Gage leaned a hip against the rail and crossed his arms over his chest. Whatever it was smelled really good, but he was hesitant to accept, and still somewhat ornery about recent events. MacCready squinted at him and shrugged before going back to tearing through the large portion on his plate. Gage sighed and gave in after watching steam rise from the pan on the table for a few moments. It was sitting on a hot plate turned low to keep the food warm. Porter had never seen one that worked before; generally they were sold for the scrap copper contained inside. He frowned and snagged the clean plate and fork adjoining the cookware, which had presumably been put out for him. He didn`t get hot food very often so he supposed he shouldn't refuse. Hopefully it tasted half as good as it smelled. Judging by MacCready`s enthusiasm he shouldn't have to worry.

Lifting the lid of the pan revealed a large omelette divided in to fifths, three of which were missing. The fried yellow exterior had a thin, crispy shell and was flecked with small bits of green which looked like herbs. Gage couldn`t tell what kind but he was guessing maybe carrot. Overflowing from the omelette`s insides were chopped red pieces of brahmin meat and a chunky orange sauce containing small cubes of tato, as well as some unknown green thing. He was dubious, but took a portion for himself and ate a bite. The sound that came out of him following his first taste could only be described as a groan. MacCready studied the enraptured expression on the raider`s face and couldn`t hold back a laugh.

"Ha! You look like a starving man that's just had food for the first time in days." He snickered and took a swig of water from a bottle he`d been nursing.

"What _is_ this?! It's...I don`t...how often does she cook like this?" Gage was stunned. He thought he was a gourmet cook by raider standards. But he'd never in his life tasted anything this good. The egg, meat, and what he realized was BlamCo mac and cheese were tender. The tato added a mild crunch, and whatever the green slivers were provided a mild heat and spice. Porter swiped one of the abundant bottles of purified water the Boss had left out on the table and drank some so he wouldn`t choke gulping down the food.

"I believe Lee, er, _the Overboss_ , called it an 'apology' omelette. It`s like a Wasteland Omelette crossed with something Frost makes she`s dubbed 'Fiend Stew'. Got the recipes off a travelling trader from the Mojave a while back. I`ve never had this combination before, but I`ve tasted the originals. As far as the cooking itself goes, she used to cook a few times a week with the Gunners. We all traded days; everyone looked forward to the ones when she had kitchen detail. She once told me that before the war she made three meals every day." MacCready stopped talking and finished his food, then patted his stomach in satisfaction. He glanced up at Gage as he lit a cigarette to find the raider staring at him with a thoughtful expression as he chewed.

"An 'apology omelette', huh? I ain`t bitching, but why...?" He let the rest of the question hang in the air unspoken.

"Why didn`t she just come out and say she was sorry for losing her temper? Probably because she thinks you`ll see her as weak if she does. Raiders don`t apologize, and for some crazy assed reason she`s trying to earn your respect. And she went out early this morning to talk to one of your gang leaders about something. Seemed like she had something big planned, because she told me some people would be coming by to pack up a bunch of shi...er, stuff. She gave me a list and said we`re to supervise them. Besides, this is better than words, am I right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Probably it`s the Operators. She mentioned something the other day about getting them to haul out and sell that junk. Didn`t realize it was today." Gage swallowed the rest of his first portion and went back for seconds. He thought he might actually be able to eat this stuff all day. He wasn`t too thrilled to babysit the raiders, but he was used to it. He was glad to have some time to recover and think before he and the Boss ran in to each other again. Something MacCready had said was bothering him, though. "What did you mean, 'before the war'? What war?"

"Oh. She hasn`t told you yet. Probably didn`t know how." The mercenary inhaled a drag off his smoke. Held it a few seconds, and exhaled before he answered. At least he had the courtesy not to blow it at Gage. "You know she used to be a Vault dweller, right?" At Porter`s nod, he continued. "You know she was frozen? Well, that was before the war. As in The Great War; total nuclear annihilation." RJ wore a bit of a smirk when Gage dropped his fork at that.

"That`s impossible."

"Is it, though? You`re bound to have met a few pre-war ghouls. She`s just like one, except better looking. Hell, she could probably even tell you what this place looked like before the bombs fell." MacCready waved his hand at the park below them and puffed his smoke a few more times before putting it out in a dirty ashtray nearby.

"I noticed she has a few...tendencies, but I never would have guessed why. Figured she was just different."

"Well that much is true. Probably more so than you think. If you were asleep for a couple hundred years and woke up in what was basically a version of your world turned in to a polluted, uninhabitable wasteland populated mostly by monsters you might need some time to adjust too. Everyone she knew is dead; her parents, siblings, neighbors, etc. Not only that, but _everything_ is different. The stories I`ve heard her tell are mind blowing. Places, animals, and technology that don`t even exist anymore, were all everyday conveniences back then. According to her there was a time when most people taught their kids how to read, write, count, and use computers instead of shooting guns or disarming traps. I barely know how to read, let alone write. She speaks four different languages though, and most of the people that spoke them aren`t even alive now. Can you imagine being able to cross an entire ocean? Without getting attacked, and it takes a few hours or days instead or months or years? What am I talking about. Of course you can`t. You don`t care. You just kill things and steal people`s stuff." MacCready shook his head, having been too caught up in his train of thought to realize who he was really speaking to. The idea of a world like the one his former partner had described mystified him. From time to time he tried to imagine a place like that where he could take Lucy and Duncan; a paradise where they would be safe and happy, fed and healthy. It was a nice way to fall asleep until he woke up to reality.

"I gotta admit, I never really thought about it. Too busy trying to make it from one day to the next without getting killed." Gage frowned and was silent, he watched the gears turning in MacCready`s head. He shook his own; he simply couldn`t imagine an eden like that. He was pretty much happy as long as he wasn`t getting attacked and had a full belly with a dry spot to sleep at night. What he could picture was Nuka World being crushed. The already damaged buildings reduced even further to rubble, dust and debris on the ground. He could picture all of the raiders dead or gone, forgotten by everyone. The idea of a permanently dark, unsalvageable area he wanted to make in to a haven disintegrating in to ash made something inside him cringe. Gage had his dream, his hope, and his determination to see it come to being. If he lost that, he wouldn`t know what to do with himself. Would he start over, or give up? Did it end with a bottle of whiskey and a bullet in his skull? He surely hoped not. As he finished his food and sat back he began to understand why MacCready had singled out the Overboss for help. It must be because she gave him some kind of hope, just like she had done for Gage when she`d killed Colter. He still resented the man`s presence, but he could now on some level at least, relate to the guy. They were never going to be friends. Gage wasn`t even sure what the word 'friend' really meant, since he`d never had one. Maybe they could manage to work in the same general area without trying to murder each other though. There was the slimmest possibility that he might be able to overlook his wounded pride at the Boss`s actions and words yesterday as well. He would have to think about it for a while longer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mags Black loved waking up next to her jar collection. Made of glass or plastic all of the vessels were see through, which allowed her to view the real treasure they held; caps. Beside her bed shelves ran the length of the entire wall. A good portion of the available space on them was taken up by the large currency stash. Mags had carefully inspected and sorted each cap in to like types when she counted them out. Sunset Sarsaparilla, nuka cola, and Gwinnett beer were the most prevalent. She had a small container of caps with red stars on them tucked in to a safe next to her dresser along with a few other prize possessions. Today Mags was in a good mood. She had something to look forward to, which was unsurprisingly; making a profit. With a small smirk lifting one corner of her mouth she strolled out in to The Parlor`s common area to greet the Overboss. Her houndstooth pantsuit was well fitted to her form. If she didn`t enjoy robbing people so much she could have been a model. Her hips swayed gracefully as she entered the room and spotted the other female.

"An early riser, aren`t you? Good. I`d like to get a quick start on this."

"The sooner, the better." Frost looked up from examining her nails with a devious smile. This morning she wore a pair of clean black pinstripe dress pants accentuated with riveted belts and gunmetal buckles. A matching vest complemented these and provided contrast to the sleeveless, ruffled, cream top underneath. Her hair was combed and styled, and she'd even applied some black eyeliner and shadow. Today wasn`t about fighting, it was about negotiation. As such she wasn`t wearing a scrap of armor. Either she was extremely confident or terribly foolish. The Overboss had dressed to make an impression on the Operators, and her attire showed her support for the faction today. At Mags`s millisecond pause when she caught sight of her, Frost felt she had succeeded. On her feet she waited for the gang leader to approach. They walked outside together, escorted by a small following of Operators Mags had selected.

"I sent William out to begin preparations yesterday. He should have the slaves hard at work carrying out your request." Mags informed her as their group neared the Cola Cars arena. "I expect you'll be satisfied with the results."

When they entered the building that had been previously littered with trash, rubble, and Colter`s corpse, not only was the new Overboss satisfied; she was pleased. _He must have had the slaves working through the night to get the place looking this much better._ The area where admittance lines had once stood was cleared of debris and swept. The ratty old carpet had been ripped out to reveal a dark, scuffed wood floor beneath. Where the ticketing counter had once stood there were now a pair of registers set up and a sign had been painted on to the front of the counter; 'Place Bets Here'. The poorly constructed platforms and shacks where raiders viewed Arena matches had been removed as per the Overboss`s orders and rebuilt. Now there were tiered rows of bleachers with wooden benches. Four VIP boxes had been added in to these with comfortable couches and padded chairs for the Overboss and each of the gang leaders, plus a few close associates. Lantern light illuminated the space in a manner that managed not to make the place look dingy. What filth had once smeared the Arena glass had been painstakingly scrubbed away, and a large podium was being dragged in to the center of the space along with a number of tables. The themed cola bottle statues and bumper cars had also been ripped out. Frost wasn`t sure how the Operators had achieved that last one. By the scorch marks on the floor that the slaves were sweeping away she was betting on some sort of explosives.

The slaves looked exhausted; many were bruised and dirty, caked in a mixture of sweat and dust. Some had clearly been beaten, and all of them were miserable. Mags and her raider posse caught glares of hatred from every direction. Walking among them, the Overboss schooled her expression to remain impassive. Inside she was telling herself that this was going to work out in the end. Her designs for the future would require sacrifice; sweat, blood, lives even. She was prepared for that, or so she imagined. When the parks were cleared out she was going to give Nuka Town back to the traders. No one besides herself, MacCready, and Harvey knew about that part of her plan yet. Recruiting the Nuka-bait, as she called Harvey hadn't been easy until she`d voiced the idea to him. Frost would not set them free; there was no way to do that without the raiders turning on her, or being killed by the traders in retaliation. But she did intend to see that they were treated more humanely. Giving them their own space would be a good start. William Black had seen the group, and approached now to interrupt the Overboss`s thoughts.

"Mags, I see you came to check in on us. It`s been a long night, although I think we've done everything you asked for, Boss." The man greeted his sister before he turned to their leader. He studied them both for a moment and wondered why the two women seemed so chummy. He was tired too, although most of his efforts had gone in to ordering the slaves around and coordinating details for specific tasks. William appeared to be a surprisingly organized individual.

"My, my. Dear brother, look what you`ve accomplished. I`m impressed." Mags commented as she satred at the changes.

"You`ve certainly set a high standard for workmanship." Frost nodded her approval. She continued; "Send everyone off to get some food and rest, we`ll talk caps."

"That`s what I like to hear." Mags rubbed her hands together in anticipation. William agreed;

"Music to my ears." He told the workers to clear out, then joined the women over at the betting counter so they could get down to brass tacks. The Overboss began the discussion, as was appropriate for her role.

"The Operators have delivered so far on their end of this bargain, but there is still the auction itself. I want to ensure that it goes smoothly, so I'll offer you a bonus incentive of a hundred caps. If I hear about another altercation such as a maiming or a fist fight before the goods are paid for that bonus goes away."

"A hundred cap bonus?" Both Black siblings were agreeable, then Mags took over. "The original proposal you made to us was for the auction itself. Host this little gathering to sell off Colter`s extra stuff and set up some kind of investment fund. We agreed on thirty percent of the profits going to our gang. However, you didn`t mention a price for remodelling the venue."

"That was only due to my desire not to short you in case there was more work to be done than originally expected. You and your brother gave me an estimate around 1,000. I did not expect the cola statues to be torn down, as the Arena should be functional for the Gauntlet again after this."

"We saved the bumper cars for use as salvage later. Hauling them to the storage around back ended up with a couple of the slaves getting injured. One probably has a broken foot and the other crushed a few fingers." William admitted grudgingly. He was under the impression the Boss was trying to bargain them down.

"As long as no one died or was rendered useless that's not a problem." Frost surprised the raiders. She had planned to offer 2,000 for the job, but she would try for lower and see that the rest went towards paying for the injured workers` medical treatments. "We`ll need some new obstacles put in before the next match. I`ll send Gage to Nisha and have them increase the difficulty on the course until then so we won't have to deal with more uninvited guests before the new installations are completed."

"I take it your pet is busy dealing with our other 'guest' at the moment?" Mags inquired curiously. Everyone had been wondering where the Gunner had gone with the Overboss and her right hand man, and what was going on with him. They were eager to know if the conversation in the marketplace the day before had just been for show.

"Gage isn`t my 'pet'. If I wanted one of those I would adopt one of Mason`s beasts and give it a bath. They already wear collars and animal masks most of the time. The boys are back at Fizztop supervising the load up and inventory of Colter`s former possessions. After the movers take off I`ve instructed them to make preparations for further clearing the parks. Back to business now. I`ll give you the original 1,000 cap estimate, plus 300 for labor, thirty percent, and the 100 cap bonus _if_ the auction goes off as planned. "

"That doesn't sound bad, although 1,800 and the thirty sounds better." Mags countered with her trademark poker face.

"1,500 and thirty, and take first pick of the stock for yourself. There was quite a collection of wine and alcohol." The other woman suggested with a catty smirk. She'd seen the bar running low in The Parlor, and noticed the empty wine bottles around Mags`s and William`s personal table. "If that doesn`t strike your fancy there are about twenty boxes of rifle ammo in there you can call yours as well."

"Caps, wine, and bullets? Hmm. Sounds like a first date." Mags smirked, William looked at her in surprise, and Frost was uncomfortable in a way she hadn't been since Curie the robot had expressed an interest in her. She hoped Mags was only joking and not asking her out. She was ass deep in alligators if the gang leader was wasn`t kidding, and she knew it.

"More like a gesture of appreciation. I can`t play favorites too much, now can I? Nisha and Mason would get jealous."

"I doubt either of them even know what a date is. You`re a different breed though, aren`t you? A bit unrefined, but not dumb. That`s refreshing after dealing with Colter for so long. Very well, I`ll agree to your terms. I expect you`ll come by the dinner theater after the auction is over and share some of that wine with the Operators though."

"After seeing this, I bet no one in Nuka World throws a better party." Frost did her best to sound as if she wasn`t dreading the thought as she replied. She relaxed slightly when William risked his sister's frown and added;

"Bring a plus one. The more the merrier."

"I'll look forward to it." _Oh hell, what did I just agree to? This is going to end in a trainwreck, I can tell._ Her first thought was to bring Gage, as he was known among the raiders and her second in command. However, the Boss wasn`t certain he would agree to it. She had not predicted this. Hopefully MacCready was helping her cause while she left them back at Fizztop together to eat and boss around the slaves she`d persuaded Harvey to round up. She doubted it. MacCready would hate the slavery; it was what he despised the most about raiders. Even if she had told RJ about her idea to give Nuka-Town to them and Harvey was there on board with them, the slaves would still be slaves.


	9. Teaching the Devil Patience

**Chapter Eight: Teaching the Devil Patience**

Frost reflected on the chain of events that had led her to seek out and join the raiders as she paced toward Fizztop Mountain. Before she`d become a mother the woman never would have imagined she could do the things she`d done. It was only after carrying another life around inside of her, that she became capable of killing. What would she have done back then, to protect her baby? Anything. What _had_ she done to get Shaun back after he was taken from her? Everything within her power, with no mind for how her choices affected others as long as they got her closer to reuniting with him. The Wasteland didn`t allow her to stay soft, or to remain blissfully ignorant of the filthiest scum humanity had to offer. She was surrounded by it. The only options Frost had in the end were to fight the darkness or to own it. The former Vault dweller would be a victim no longer. _Never again will anyone take what is mine,_ she thought. The raiders she met along her way back to the Mountain did not approach her. Instead they moved aside, walking around her slender frame. Even though she wore no armor they did not threaten her. A few here and there nodded an acknowledgment or whistled lewdly at her as she passed them by. The later were met with a raised middle finger. It was no secret they all talked behind her back. Every one of them was watching, waiting for the chance to either tear her apart or to try to weasel in to her good graces, due to the nature of her position. Her old self would have been killed or worse long before now. She had left most of that identity behind, and told herself that she was happier this way.

 _What makes a raider?_ Frost wondered as she navigated the cracked paving stones of the plaza and skirted the central fountain. Some were born in to it. How did those who didn`t fit that category find themselves falling down the rabbit hole to join these bandits? Some of them must have experienced a different kind of life; one where torture, drug use, and murder weren`t an everyday occurrence. Yet they found themselves here, just as she did. There must have been a plethora of reasons, untold stories that could raise the hairs on the back of a person`s neck. Nuka World was the home all of them, regardless of origin, could not have elsewhere. The closer she got to Fizztop the more her mind went towards Porter Gage. Why had he become a raider? Not once had Frost witnessed him drink alcohol or get high like so many of the other raiders. He didn`t come off as the hard partying type. Imagining he may have started off as a captive was impossible. The man had a take no prisoners attitude and had put the strategy of killing before being killed to deadly use in Dry Rock Gulch. It was clear he enjoyed a good fight, enjoyed killing even. Part of her felt the same way, but that wasn`t why she`d come to Nuka World. Frost took the lives of monsters, mutants, and synths. She had never killed a settler; although she had beaten a few with sticky fingers or wandering hands badly enough to make them think twice. The idea of harming a child repulsed her on a level she couldn`t fully realize, and seeing the broken families raider groups often left in their wake made her want to hunt the villans and grind their bones to dust. Colter had been one more human in a long list of bad people she`d killed, that in her eyes, all deserved it. She could not say the same for Gage, because she had little idea how long exactly he`d been a raider for, or what he had done in that time. In some ways the two of them seemed to be the same. At other times, the woman had no idea what he was thinking. She worried (not for the first time) over what she might be walking in to as she rode the lift up to Fizztop Grille, one arm holding a crate of supplies she`d picked up at the marketplace on her way back.

MacCready`s voice was the first thing she heard as she reached the top and scanned the area. The faded gray floor was cleared of debris, and the doors to the inner hallway were propped open. At the smaller bar area to the left side of the patio sat MacCready and Gage, bickering. Scattered between the pair on the countertop was a mess of battered cards.

"Asshole!" MacCready exclaimed. He slapped the counter with his palm as he cursed at the other man; he was a sore loser. From the looks of it they had been evenly tied until just that moment.

"I told you I`m a fast learner." Gage replied with a mild smirk.

"I never should have taught you how to play Caravan." The mercenary grumbled as his opponent raked the pot of caps over to his side of the bidding area. He was not spared the indignity of his loss as the Overboss set down her purchases on the central bar and walked over. She teased;

"Getting your ass kicked at cards again, MacCready?"

"You mean like I used to beat you all the time?" He griped back and took a sip from a classic Nuka Cola.

"Never said I was the one doing the ass kicking." She admitted with a half smirk and walked around them both to rummage behind the bar. A quiet hum came from a bulbous red mini fridge underneath. She checked the charge level and saw that she would need to add a few more fusion cells by tomorrow night to keep the thing running. A rustle overhead caught Frost`s attention. Gage was looking over the edge of the counter to see what she was up to. She pulled out two bottles of Nuka and offered him one.

"Ah!" He set the drink down in surprise at how chilled it was. Condensation from the glass quickly began to run down the side. The raider peered at her wide eyed and asked, "How is it cold like that?"

"Fusion cell powered mini fridge." The boss shrugged and straightened up. She twisted off the cap left-handed and leaned a hip on the counter.

"You`ve always had a knack for making things like that work." MacCready observed as he tried to relax back on his barstool and jerked, having recalled there was no back to it. He had a habit of tilting normal chairs on their rear legs too. "How did your meeting go? You came back in one piece so I imagine it wasn`t too bad."

"The Operators came through on their end. It looks like the auction should be a success provided things went smoothly here."

"Nothing broke and no one tried to take anything that wasn`t on your list." Gage contributed as he opened his drink and savored the cool sweetness. He eyed the woman curiously, filing away her apparent mechanical skill in his mind for later analysis.

"Good to know. I appreciate you two keeping an eye on things here for me."

"It was a decent plan to distract everyone and get on the Operators` good side while you`re healing." He granted. She was clever; he never would have thought of something like that, or imagined the Blacks would go for it. He looked her over and asked; "How is that going, by the way?"

"It`s tender, and I`ve been avoiding lifting anything heavy with it. Seems to be doing better. By tomorrow or the day after I should be healed enough to get back to working on clearing the parks, provided my aim isn`t off."

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright! I`ve been itching to get some target practice in." MacCready agreed.

"Don`t get too excited; I have to survive tonight first."

"I thought you said the auction should go smoothly. Are you worried about something?" Gage tilted his head in puzzlement. His one visible eye studied the Overboss as she slowly spun the top of her beverage causing the bottle to rotate. She wasn`t exactly fidgeting, but he could tell she was thinking about something that made her uncomfortable.

"It`s not the auction I`m worried about, it`s the celebration I was invited to after." Frost sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She finally looked over at him and awkwardly asked; "Gage, is Mags Black interested in women?"

"I don`t ask about things like that. I don`t think she`s picky though. Why?" Gage wasn`t sure where this was going, but he knew already he didn`t like it.

"I think she may have been trying to flirt with me after we agreed to the terms of payment for the Operators` services." The woman stared intently at her bottle of soda. "Since I`m neither interested nor suicidal I turned her down. Although, I`m not confident she got the hint."

"If you`re worried about it that much, why not avoid going altogether?" MacCready asked as he began to gather up the cards. He shot the winner of the game a dirty look. Said rival shook his head and stated, as Frost had already known;

"That ain`t an option. The Boss here is still new, and still tryin` to make an impression. Staying on the good side of the gang leaders means she`s gotta show up when they ask for her. That was one huge mistake Colter made; not showing up to discussions. If he`d have only done that it would`ve been a lot harder to plan out killing him."

"I still don`t fully understand why you lot picked her as the one to take out your trash and clean up the mess of things here."

"You`re missing the point, MacCready. I`m here, and I have no intention of backing down or giving up. That`s the last I want to hear of it." Frost warned the Gunner.

"Just let me know if you change your mind." RJ replied coolly with a shrug. He pushed the last of the cards back in to the makeshift pack that served as a protective case. "If you really have to go though, why not just tell her you`re taken? It might get her to leave you alone, without risking making her angry."

"That wouldn`t be a bad idea, except for causing the gang leaders to question what other loyalties you hold. They ain`t gonna be happy to hear their new Overboss has an outside affiliation like that, especially since they don`t know who it is." Gage commented, chewing on the idea. Mags would definitely take it poorly to be rejected on preference of an outsider, assuming she _was_ interested in the Overboss in that way. Porter could see why she might be. Frost was tough, clever, good-looking, and in charge. If she worked at it he was certain she could command the respect of all the raiders in Nuka World. Mags being at her side meant that the Operators would obviously have more favor than the other gangs. Potentially, she could manipulate the Boss in to a position of vulnerability later down the line and steal control of the park from her.

"I don`t exactly have a stand in for something like that. Gage has a point too. I can`t just grab some traveller and throw them in there. You saw how the raiders reacted to you showing up; the whole marketplace was moments away from becoming a bloodbath."

"So use _him_ as your stand in." MacCready suggested with a nod towards Gage. His poker face was good; she didn`t see _that_ coming.

Frost was mid-sip in to her drink when RJ`s bright idea caught her by surprise and caused her to choke. She managed to swallow most of the cola, but a painful amount made its way up her nose. Gage responded similarly. His eyes watered as he coughed out;

"What?!"

"Think about it. All of the raiders see you as the Overboss`s second in command, right? You could go with her, watch her back, and they can`t get too upset because you`re one of them."

"You gotta be shitting me." Frost told him hoarsely. "We met for the first time a few days ago. There`s no way they would belive that."

"You met a few days ago, and yet you already risked your life to protect him. It might not be as hard to believe as you think. Besides, all you`d have to do is pretend to be sleeping together. If this crazy bit-, er, _lady_ thinks you`re too wrapped up with each other it`ll probably get her to back off."

"Ain`t nobody gonna be convinced someone like her is interested in scum like me."

"If I didn`t know better, I would have believed it." MacCready said plainly. He raised an eyebrow at the woman on the other side of the bar. She was pointedly staring at the counter, and appeared deep in thought as she rubbed a thumb against the scarred side of her jaw. He cleared his throat to try to get her attention. "Hey. What do you think?"

"Oh, hell. He has a nice ass, sue me for staring. I hadn`t entertained any ideas if that`s what you`re asking." The Boss replied bluntly and rolled her eyes. A hint of color crept in to her cheeks. With her arms crossed over her chest she glanced over to find Porter gawking at her.

"When were you even looking?" The raider sounded uncharacteristically shocked, somewhat pleased, and also a bit offended all at once. He couldn`t tell if he was being complimented or insulted. The fact that she had noted any part of his appearance with favor at all caught him off guard. Apparently she`d been discreet.

"When you were trying to make it seem like you weren`t watching out of the corner of your eye."

"Ugh, get a room you two." MacCready made a fake gagging motion and stood up. He stretched, twisted his back from side to side, and walked over towards where the restaurants` booths had been that morning to light up a cigarette.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _This was a bad idea_ , Gage thought as he waited for the Overboss in front of Fizztop Mountain. They had parted ways to take care of respective tasks. In Gage`s case that meant he`d gone to find something decent to wear and spent a few hours scrubbing himself clean, shaving, spiking his mohawk, and burning off his restlessness hanging out with his not-quite-friend Red Eye. He wasn`t sure how to approach this situation; he had no experience with going on an actual date. _It ain`t even one of them, either,_ he told himself while he hung out in front of the fountain. Gage hadn`t exactly confided in Red Eye, although he had asked him for advice. The radio host made it public knowledge via his broadcast show that he had had more than a few flings. Porter asked him what one was supposed to do to catch the attention of someone out of his league, on the basis of piecing together what _not_ to do. It wasn`t as if Gage had trouble with women. He`d been with enough not to call himself an amatuer. However, they had all been raiders, or indiscriminate individuals whom he wouldn`t have to deal with again. Gage had left 'civilized' life behind at an age where he was young enough to not be deeply interested in any kind of intimate relationship. Surviving in the Wasteland had meant making himself invulnerable. The various raider gangs he`d run with didn`t exactly have a wholesome worldview. Meaningless one night stands were common, and there was no such thing as 'calling her later'. Gage felt he could handle everything up until that part with skill. It was the idea of pulling off this ruse without actually getting himself in over his head that had his shoulders aching with tension and his mind buzzing while he waited for the lift to come down. How was he supposed to do this without pissing off the Overboss? They had to fool Mags, so they needed to appear genuine. It wasn`t going to be problematic for him to get up close and personal for one night. How they would work together afterward was where he saw the potential for difficulty to arise. Lust wasn`t the hard part of this equation, when she arrived looking like she did.

Scattered around the plaza were burn barrels giving off a faint orange glow. It was enough to see by for someone used to low light environments. In Gage`s opinion there was plenty to see. He`d gotten an idea of what the Overboss looked like without armor on earlier that day when she had returned from her meet up with the Operators. This was entirely different though. Gage felt under dressed in his new black pants and pinstripe vest. He`d traded out his bulky yellow armor for supple black leather gear, including a soft pair of lace up combat boots he hadn`t worn in a long while. The studs on his armor were blunted; more for show than function. Porter was out of his element. An uncomfortable sensation had his stomach in knots until Frost walked his way. He thought she had looked good earlier, but now he was having trouble thinking, period. The little black dress was held up by thin straps and clung tightly in all the right places. From the waist down it was loose and swayed with her hips when she moved. The bottom was cut at a slant; the right side stopped just below mid-thigh, while the left ended above her knee. The thin, billowy material was accentuated or replaced in multiple areas with dark red lace. For the first time since coming to Nuka World her hair hung loose, unbraided and unbound. Despite a thorough brushing her natural waves had refused to straighten out. Not as much of her hair was cut as short as he had thought; the relaxed curls covered the shaved portion completely. Combined with the dark makeup and black fur shawl casually shrugged over one shoulder, she could have been a vintage pin-up girl. Others might have thought her eyebrow piercings, scars, or tattoos he hadn`t known she possessed until now made her less attractive. Gage disagreed. He gave her a long look up and down as she came closer, not bothering with subtlety since Frost was also giving him a once over.

"Damn, Boss."

"You ready to get this party started, handsome?" She asked with a smirk.

"Sure we can`t just tell them to fuck off and have a party of our own?" Gage suggested, only half joking. He was experiencing difficulty recalling what it was he had been stressed out about. Those knee high leather boots she was wearing made her bare legs look like they went on for miles. Frost touched his arm and spun him with her as she strutted by in the direction of the dinner theater.

"That foul mouth of yours is about to be put to better use helping me sweet talk the Operators. Look at this as an opportunity. We`re going to see if we can`t learn anything about Colter`s old associates while we`re there, to make sure I`m not missing out on any people of interest. I`m still not sure if that explosion was a coincidence or not."

 _I can suggest a few better uses for both of our mouths if you`d like to hear them_ , Gage thought. What he said was; "This whole thing is going to be a trap where they try to learn about you too, Boss. Specifically what they can use as leverage against you. I get you though, its smart to give that further thought."

"They`re looking for a show, Gage. We should put on a good one."

"You won`t hear any complaints from me."

"I`m holding you to that." The Overboss told him, thinking she wouldn`t be wholly opposed to the idea of holding him down against a mattress as well. His vest showed off the muscles underneath it in a way that she wouldn`t have been opposed to watching all day long.

The entrance to The Parlor was flanked on either side by a an Operator guard. Both were armed and recognized Gage and their Overboss on sight. One greeted the guests as she`d been instructed, while her male counterpart held open the door to admit them. Inside a jukebox played Frank Sinatra`s version of "Luck Be A Lady". Oil lamps and candles gave the place a soft illumination. Although the pattern on the red carpet was faded, and the matching curtains covering the walls had seen better days, the place looked good. Compared to the rest of Nuka World, at least. Small tables and a few chairs provided intimate seating in front of the stage, which a few of the raiders were using as a dance floor. A steady flow of people migrated from a bar in the adjoining room to the main area, chatting, drinking, and smoking. Through the doorway leading to the bar a VIP lounge was partially visible. The Overboss began making her way in that direction, knowing the Black siblings would be there, and she would be expected to greet them upon arrival.

Everyone present had cleaned and dressed themselves up for the party. As the hosts Mags and William set an example. The brother looked sharp in a black tuxedo, in spite of the fact that he had already been drinking heavily. Mags was stunning in a fitted red evening dress decorated with sequins. A ruby colored choker made of satin accentuated her slender neck. Her long blonde hair was styled in to a elegant braid instead of her usual tight ponytail. The invisible hairs on the back of Frost`s neck stood on end when she spotted the two of them. She wanted to turn around, walk out, go back to Fizztop, and spend the rest of the night playing cards and trading stories with Gage and MacCready. There was work to be done here though. William was the first to spot the Overboss and Gage heading towards them.

"Ho-ly shit. Would you look at that?" He leaned over from where he was sitting and tapped his sister on the shoulder to get her attention. Mags looked vaguely annoyed at having her conversation with one of the other Operators interrupted. She brushed her brother`s hand away and glanced up.

"Overboss! And I see you've brought Gage along..." Mags rose to greet the pair. Frost forced a polite smile.

"Mags, William. You both look well tonight. This party is impressive." She`d subtly grabbed her "date`s" hand on the way over to ensure they weren`t separated in the crowd. Now she placed it on her hip and let go in a successful sleight of hand maneuver. Gage didn`t hesitate to play along; he moved up beside Frost and pressed one side of his chest against her as he snaked his arm around her waist. The message of assertion was obvious, which had been the point. William raised both eyebrows at the other man, silently impressed. Mags hid her own reaction behind a face as still as stone. She said;

"This is nothing compared to what we`ll be able to pull off with more resources from the parks being cleared out. Care to sit with us and discuss the future?"

Frost knew that although the invitation was phrased as a question she didn`t really have a choice. The brunette slid gracefully in to the booth and her companion followed. Gage took care to place his arm over the back of the seat behind Frost`s shoulders. He let his hand hang down so it was resting on her collarbone. To keep up the act she didn`t protest, even though it tickled when he began to toy with the strap of her dress as the group chatted for the next few hours or so. There came a point when the Operator`s leader offered her guests refreshment in the form of wine or liquor. Both declined; for similar reasons. Already the absence of her usual arsenal was making Frost feel naked. The western revolver tucked in to a garter under her dress helped a little, but it only held six shots. She wondered how many weapons her partner was hiding on him, if any. They had both been checked once inside; this was a no weapons allowed kind of party. At least no one had weapons out in the open. Anxiety left a growing tension in her muscles. Frost could feel a headache trying to form at the base of her neck. The dead boring conversation didn`t help. William kept going off on tangents as he became more inebriated throughout the evening. Finally Mags sent him away, to change the music on the jukebox and get her another drink. At this time Frost managed to excuse herself to use the bathroom and grab herself and Gage bottles of water from the bar. That left Gage and Mags with the booth to themselves.

"You and the Overboss seem to have gotten awfully close, Gage."

"She`s a knock out, that`s for sure. I`d be crazy to turn her down." Porter told the blonde with a grin as he watched Frost walk away.

"Turn her down? As in, she made the first move? My kind of woman." Mags feigned amusement. Her doubt was obvious.

"She was very direct. The little lady knows exactly what she wants and isn`t afraid to take it." Gage could feel the jealousy simmering off of Mags. Were the situation different, he may have been in trouble. There was something deeply satisfying about lording he and the Overboss`s pretend fling over Mags` head on her own turf. He had never appreciated how Mags and her gang looked down on him. William he could stomach from time to time, but he was one of the few. They were essentially stuck up rich kids with guns, Porter felt.

The sensation of sharp nails on his shoulder caught Gage by surprise. He turned his head and saw a female Operator standing off to the side of the booth. She caressed his shoulder again.

"Hello Gage. It`s been a while." The girl gave him a saucy smile. She obviously knew him, but he didn`t know who she was. To his knowledge they had never met.

"Something you need?" He asked her uninterestedly. The cold, rude approach seemed best here, he thought. Sipping from her wine glass on the other end of the booth Mags smirked at him. He knew then that something was up. _What is she plotting?_

"Hmm, I can think of a few things. How about someone tough and strong to keep me company tonight? You can slip away from your duties as the Overboss`s... _help,_ later, can`t you?" She leaned closer and purred next to his face. Her breath smelled like pillow mints and bourbon where it tickled his cheek. The hand on his shoulder began to rub suggestively. Gage picked it up and moved it away with distaste. Now he understood what was going on. He had not yet seen the Overboss returning from her brief excursion, which was just as Mags had planned, of course. He`d been unwittingly enlisted as an actor in a show she was intending Frost to see. However, he was spoiling the plan by not reacting as anticipated.

"What makes you think I would be even remotely interested? In case you hadn`t noticed, I`ve been enjoying the Overboss`s company already."

"My mistake. Perhaps I was thinking she wasn`t appreciating _your_ company enough, since she took off on you. She`s been gone quite a while now, from what I`ve seen. I wouldn`t leave a catch like you alone. Never know who might steal you away."

"A skilled thief recognizes when the mark is beyond his or her ability to obtain." The Overboss had arrived soundlessly, unnoticed until she wanted to be. Neither Gage nor Mags had witnessed her approach. The girl who had been hitting on Porter flinched and stepped back. Mags was visibly surprised, as evidenced by the widening of her eyes. Frost had a hand resting possessively on both of Gage`s shoulders from where she now stood behind him. She smiled at the flirtatious stranger, exuding a confident, malicious aura. "Touch him again, and I`ll cut off your hand and make you eat it. Porter Gage belongs to me."

Without a word the other female quickly made herself scarce. While she was disappearing in to the crowd and haze of cigarette smoke William Black returned. He glanced between his sibling, her guests, and the young woman who'd just scurried off with confusion. Gage tilted his head back and looked up to where Frost was standing over him. She seemed to be trying not to laugh at how fast the Operator had run away.

"Don`t I know it, Boss. Although it seems like some people aren`t convinced. I think you might have to stake a more, ah, _visible_ claim." He was anticipating something along the lines of her sitting on his lap. If they didn`t make a statement here while everyone was watching, their charade would most certainly be foiled. What Porter did not expect was what the Overboss actually did next.

"Oh? Then I`ll just leave this where everyone can see it, unlike the other ones." Her loose curls tickled Gage`s shoulder when she moved her face next to his. One hand traced along the opposite side of his jaw, making his skin tingle where her fingers touched. Suddenly she grabbed his chin and turned his head away from her face. A soft brush of her lips on his neck evolved in to a sharp bite. A line of white heat shot through the raider and the room around them ceased to exist for a moment. His stomach clenched and his pulse accelerated without warning. When Frost pulled away after a few seconds of Gage doing his very best not to writhe or groan with desire, a dark hickey bruised the left side of his throat. Although she didn`t know it, she`d picked the one spot that set him off the most. He wanted to pull her right over the back of his seat and in to his lap. Instead he stared at her with one smoldering hazel eye while he wordlessly touched the mark she`d given him. Gage rose from his seat and moved around the booth to stand behind her. He pressed his front against her back and wrapped his arms around her waist, then buried his face in her neck and hair to inhale her scent. Frost crossed her arms over his and leaned back against him slightly. She spared their hosts a dark smile;

"It`s time for Gage and I to excuse ourselves. This was fun though. Enjoy the rest of your night, Mags, William." The Overboss gently extricated herself from Porter`s hold for the most part, and they went for the door without further delay. Her arm remained around his torso while he`d draped his across her shoulders.


	10. Hope

**A/N: I apologize for the lack of updates! My laptop crashed irrepairably some time ago and caused me to lose over four years` worth of art, writing, music, and pictures. I felt like I`d suddenly lost a limb. I was so upset over it I gave up for a while. However, after a number of friends and readers encouraged me to get back to doing what I love to do (and my best friend allowed me to hold his poor laptop hostage for the day) I`ve managed to pop out another update. Its not as lengthy as I would like, but its a start. Hopefully, regular updates will resume soon. Major thanks to everyone who sent me reviews and well wishes, they help more than you imagine.**

 **Chapter Ten: Hope**

They were barely twenty feet out the door, around a corner when Gage abruptly pinned the Overboss between himself and a nearby wall. His mouth was hot on her skin when he marked her neck with his teeth. A low noise came from her and she roughly tugged the hair at the base of his skull. He pulled back slowly and stared down at her face heatedly. He said;

"There, now we`re even." A smirk slowly grew upon him seeing the Overboss`s reaction. She was glaring up at Gage with fire in her dark gray eyes. Color crept in to her cheeks when he added; "You try something like that again though, and I can`t promise I won`t tear you the fuck apart."

"I don`t think you can handle two hundred and four years of pent up sexual frustration, Gage."

"Any time you want to find out, let me know." He told her, still close enough to convince the few passersby that the two of them might have been making out. Her small hands slid up the length of his chest and she fisted the lapels of his vest in them. His heart hammered erratically when she stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear;

"Not a chance in hell. Thanks for playing along though." Her lips were criminally soft; he could feel her smirking when she slipped away. She ducked under his outstretched arm and snagged him by the belt to turn him towards Fizztop as she did so. The extra sway she put in her hips as she began walking back was for his benefit.

 _Damn, Boss._ His thoughts were spiraling in exactly the direction he did not want them to go. Getting involved with the Overboss, no matter how attractive he thought she was, was a bad idea. Scratch that, it was a terrible idea. The worst. She seemed to get a kick out of teasing him, but he could tell she wasn`t a one night stand kind of woman. Although he had seen the dark glimmer of lust in her expression when he bit her and pinned her to the wall, he knew she wasn`t easy. She`d just admitted to not having slept with anyone since leaving the Vault. If he`d been paying attention, he could deduce she hadn`t slept with anyone for a while before she`d gone in too. Gage`s amorous mood began to fade as he recalled something else. Frost had told him she had family in the Vault. She`d said they were separated, and that _most_ of the other residents had died. He hadn`t given it much thought before, but now he had to wonder. Was the reason for her vendetta against the Institute because they had some member of her family hostage? It was certainly a possibility. Was part of the reason for her holding back from being intimate with anyone because she had someone she was holding out for? The idea effectively snuffed any further fantasies he might have been entertaining about getting her in to his bed tonight. _It was all supposed to be an act to fool Mags anyways...Still, she even had me convinced. Shit._

Part of him wanted to be angry, but he knew better. What had he been expecting, anyways? Their working together was just a means to an end, he was sure. He was a tool to her, the same as MacCready. Actually, the Gunner himself didn`t seem to think so. Gage remembered something the other man had said; _'You met a few days ago, and yet you risked your life to protect him already. It might not be as hard to believe as you think.'_ They had been discussing the odds of the other raiders believing that Frost was interested in Gage. He seemed doomed to never ending frustration. If he only knew what her true motivations were, Gage wouldn`t be so bothered. Porter went out on a limb and decided to broach the subject as he followed the Overboss across the plaza. He led with;

"MacCready is never going to let us live down these marks."

"You got that right, but when did you start caring what he thinks?" Frost asked mildly as she glanced back over her shoulder.

"I don`t, although going through with this charade something else he said has been stuck in my skull." They were nearing the lift platform now, her pace was relaxed enough that they still had a few minutes before they would reach it. She gave Gage the impression she wasn`t in a hurry to get back. He wasn`t either, and he considered just dragging her with him on a longer walk so he could subtly interrogate her through further conversation.

"What`s on your mind, Gage?"

"MacCready said before that if 'he didn`t know better, he would have believed it' when he was talking about me coming with you tonight as your 'date'. He said it wasn`t a stretch for him to think you were interested in me because you`d already risked your life for mine."

"Let me guess, now you`re wondering why?"

"Well, yeah." Gage rubbed at his jaw curiously. He was only half meeting her eyes as he walked towards the Overboss. She`d stopped to wait for him a few feet from the lift. "You`ve said the two of you were partners before, that you guys went through hell together and came out as the only survivors."

"I also said I wasn`t interested in any suitors, so if you`re still under the impression we have a thing for each other, it`s not like that."

"No, I get that. Just, you`re close. Sort of. I mean you`ve known each other longer and better than you and I have known each other."

"Where are you going with this?" Frost asked him, sounding puzzled. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but Gage thought maybe she couldn`t see how worried he was.

"The three of us are all going to Kiddie Kingdom tomorrow. I don`t know how far I can trust him or his skills yet. But I do know that between me and you, if we`re in trouble he`s going to pick helping you before me. What I want to know is; if MacCready and I are both endangered, and you can only save one of us, which one are you going to choose?" His chest was tight, he felt as if a great weight was riding on her answer.

"I thought it was pretty obvious I already made that decision." Her tone was one of surprise, but she replied without hesitation.

"You chose me in that explosion. What about the next time?"

"I`d choose you again."

"Why?" He had so many suspicions, but Gage just couldn`t figure out which reason was the right one. Which motivation drove her, exactly?

"MacCready knew what he was signing up for when he agreed to help. He knows the plan as well as you do, and the risks involved. He understands that he can walk away at any point in time, and he`s decided not to. He has a choice. You on the other hand don`t have the same options, and neither do I."

"You mean I can`t just walk away."

"That's part of it, yeah. This is your home, and it`s tearing itself apart. You could leave, but you don`t want to. You want to fight for it, to make it work. That`s why you put in so much effort to keep the gang leaders from killing each other, and why you arranged for me to kill Colter."

"All true, but you could walk away too. You aren`t a raider all the way through. You`d probably get by settling down some place like Goodneighbor and taking jobs as a merc." It sounded cold, but it was true. He knew just from talking to her that Frost wasn`t evil all the way through. MacCready had even made it sound like she was some kind of domestic before the War. If she had family out there, why couldn`t she go back?

"No, I really can`t. I don`t have any reason or place to settle down, and I can`t 'start over' knowing that the Institute could just take away everything that I build. I barely sleep as is, and that`s no kind of life I want." Her face was all in shadow as they rode the lift up, but Porter could hear the quiet strain in her voice.

"So you`d protect me because you need me around to take back Nuka World?" He wondered aloud while they leaned against the rail next to each other. It was what he`d thought she would say. There were only a few inches between his arm and hers on the metal bars, but somehow that space felt like miles.

"No. I could do it without you. I destroyed the Railroad by myself. I`ve killed countless raiders and monsters since I left the Vault. I tracked a professional Institute mercenary across the Commonwealth years after his trail had gone cold and butchered him for kidnapping my son. I infiltrated the Children of Atom Church on Mount Desert Island and annihilated it. All of those things I`ve done alone. I could get in to the Institute alone, by hijacking a Courser Synth, and go on a suicidal killing spree. But I don`t _want_ to. I don`t want to die. I just haven`t had much reason to live besides revenge until now..." the Overboss trailed off, because she`d just realized something.

She didn`t want to be alone anymore. For a long time she hadn`t really had anyone to rely on. Frost kept people at a distance, for their safety and her own. She was trying to do the same thing to Gage. But some part of her was sick of that. Sharing a bunker with a platoon of Gunners had been the start of it. Too many nights she`d struggled in to an exhausted sleep on the hard ground or in decrepit ruins by herself. Too many caps paying for a battered mattress in settlement hotels` common rooms just to hear the sound of other humans breathing in their sleep nearby. Too many hired backup guns she didn`t need for their idle conversation while taking out super mutant or synth strongholds. What she wanted was a companion, if she would just admit it. Cait had come close in some ways, but she preferred to live in the moment whereas Frost had been stuck tethered to her past by grief and hate. For Cait, home was with whatever caravan was paying the most for a bodyguard that week. She had nothing tying her down or holding her back. In Frost`s case, no matter how many miles she travelled, how much distance was between her and Vault 111, she couldn`t outrun the pain.

The truth was, she`d protected Gage because their partnership so far felt like the most solid thing she`d found since waking up in that frigid tomb. It was rough and full of unknowns. But it was honest, in a way that not even her time with the Brotherhood or the Gunners had been. Not only were they essential to each other`s survival among the raiders, but they gave each other hope. That was invaluable to her. Gage of course couldn`t possibly know all that. He was staring at her with an expression of interest. The lift had stopped moving but they were both still standing on it, leaning against the rail near each other.

"Boss?"

"Don`t take this the wrong way. I don`t have your back because I feel obligated to, or because I don`t think you can handle yourself. I do it because I want to."

"You don`t want to protect MacCready too?" Gage asked doubtfully as the woman finally came out of her reverie.

"Of course I don`t want him to get hurt. But-"

"What? What`s different? Just because he has a choice and I don`t?" The easy answer would have been 'yes, exactly'. The veteran raider would have been irritated, but he would have dropped it. They would go back to working together and everything would stay the same. But Frost surprised him, because she almost always did things the hard way, and because she felt that she owed him the truth. Even when being frank made the situation that much more complicated, she wouldn't`t lie to him.

"Because Nuka World is all I have left besides obliterating the Institute. I need something to come back to, or I want it. I`m sick of not having a home, and I`m tired of being an outcast. You told me your dream is to rebuild this place. I came here for an army, for death. I wasn`t expecting to find a future. But when you talk about it I can see this place all lit up again. I can picture the buildings remade, the debris gone, rides working, and the fountain filled with clean water. I can smell popcorn and taste the fizz of cold Nuka Cola. Its something to come back to, to look forward to."

"You`re saying you`d choose to save me over MacCready because of my dream to rebuild this mess? I didn`t realize I`d made such an impression." A genuine smile turned up the corners of his mouth. The distance he`d been imagining evaporated. He`d gestured to the park below them with a hand as he spoke, sounding surprised. Now when Gage returned his arm to the railing he dared to let his skin rest against hers. She didn`t move away immediately. Instead she looked out over the broken buildings with their fading paint and envisioned what they could become.

"You`d be surprised what a powerful effect a little hope can have."


	11. Kiddie kingdom

**Chapter Eleven: Kiddie Kingdom**

"What do you know about this 'Kiddie Kingdom', Gage?" MacCready asked the raider as they sat at the bar inside Fizztrop Grille. On the other side of the now mostly empty space the Overboss was making some final adjustments to her power armor.

"For starters, its been overrun entirely by ghouls. When the raiders first took Nuka World, we had a crew head in to try and clear them out. Seemed simple enough, but it didn`t work out that way."

"Pump enough bullets in to any monster and it`ll die eventually." The ex-gunner commented. He frowned when Gage shook his head in disagreement.

"See, that`s what we thought too. But there`s another kind of ghoul in there that glows from the inside out. Whenever we dropped the others ghouls thinking they were done for, he`d let out some kind of rad wave and the rest would get back up to attack again."

"I`ve never seen anything like that before, and I`ve killed plenty of ghouls."

"I have." The Overboss stated as she came over and washed the grease off her hands in the sink behind the bar. Apparently she was done tweaking her armor. "There`s a large radioactive crater back in what used to be Cambridge. The first Glowing One I had the misfortune to cross paths with crawled out of that pit."

"The first one? As in you`ve seen more than one?" Gage questioned her uneasily. He`d never liked ghouls, and generally made a point to avoid them. Frost explained;

"Yes. They`re more dangerous than normal ones, and not just because they give off high enough levels of rads to heal the others. Glowing ghouls carry more diseases than your typical walking corpse." It became clear to Gage from the Boss`s words and tone that she held no fondness or pity for the feral creatures that had once been human.

"Great. One more thing to look forward to." MacCready input sarcastically.

"You mean aside from the sprinklers that`re gonna douse us in radioactive mist, and the booby traps waiting all over the place for us when we go in?" Gage scoffed, he was equally unhappy about the situation.

"Oh, joy. Remind me, why do we need to clear this place out so badly? Wouldn`t it be safer to just board the whole freakshow up and _not_ grow extra limbs?" RJ was liking the sound of this idea less and less the more they talked about it.

"Safer? Ha. If you think a large number of raiders living so close they trip over each other, and are at each others` throats on a daily basis is any kind of safe, you`re dumber than I thought." Gage responded.

"Settle down, boys. The two of you to do exactly as I say, and we all make it out of this alive." Frost cut in calmly. She tossed the rag she`d been using to dry her hands on the counter between the two men. Gage looked up from where he`d been cleaning his pistol and listened. MacCready, on the other hand, had one more wise crack to make;

"Alive and with no extra arms or legs, right?"

"You`re about to have a _broken_ arm if you don`t shut your cake hole, MacCready." The Overboss warned him with a dark half smile. She`d woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

"Easy, now. What`s the plan, Boss?" Gage tried to keep them on track.

"The plan is, we`re going to be smart about this. Everyone takes some Rad-X before we go in, and makes sure to keep using it as need be. It`s going to dehydrate us, so bring the extra supplies I prepped for you. Gage, you`ll be going in in my power armor. It`s a closed environment inside the suit, so that should negate most of the radiation..."

"Whoa, hold up. What about you?" The raider risked interrupting her. When she`d asked him if he knew how to move in power armor, he hadn`t anticipated this.

"I`m going to be wearing a hazmat suit, with my underarmor. It won`t slow me down like it would for someone not used to wearing one, and your armor of choice won`t fit underneath it. MacCready, I want you to find a sniper`s post near the entrance when we get there. You won`t be exposed to as much radiation if you`re not on the ground with the sprayers and the ghouls, so your standard gear should be fine."

"You worried I won`t be able to keep up with the two of you?" RJ wondered, a bit put off by the idea.

"Not at all. I only have the one hazmat suit, and if things get too hairy in there, I need the path to the exit to stay clear. I trust you to make sure that happens."

"Copy that, loud and clear."

"Gage?"

"Yes ma`am?"

"Don`t call me that. Any other questions?"

"Nope."

"Good. Let`s go take out the trash."

Less than a half hour later the trio stood outside the entrance to Kiddie Kingdom, ready for war. Gage had spent enough time working with Colter`s power armor and testing it that even after Frost had removed the previous mods and installed new ones, it didn`t feel too unfamiliar. She`d made him practice walking around in it on the way here anyways, just in case. Porter felt like a behemoth towering over the other two.

To the left at the front of their group, MacCready was using his rifle scope to scout the area before they braved the park itself. HIs one-armed duster stirred in a faint, chill breeze that had begun to kick up. They sky overhead had been gray all morning and was growing darker. It looked like Nuka World would be hit by a thunderstorm before the day was through. The sniper was hoping the rain would hold off a while longer, until the party was done clearing out Kiddie Kingdom.

Frost was surveying the map she`d brought with her. It had originally been a pamphlet designed for visitors to Nuka World, and she was making good use of it. A deadly looking laser rifle was slung over her back instead of her usual favorite. When asked about this she had explained it was because she wanted to keep the ghouls at a distance to prevent damge to her hazmat suit. If the suit was breached it wouldn`t do her much good. The laser rifle had less piercing power than her other gun, but it had a wider spread with the attached beam splitter, and reloaded faster than a shotgun. She also admitted that watching it disintegrate her enermies was mildly amusing.

"There!" MacCready got his teammates` attention.

"Picked your spot, then?" The Overboss asked, checking the pack at her belt one final time.

"The ferris wheel. It`s the highest lookout point and the range on my rifle can cover a good distance from just halfway up it. I`ll have to climb, but the ghouls won`t be able to reach me up there, since there aren`t any stairs."

"How`s the access route look?"

"Pretty clear for the moment. I`ll head that way and get in to position. I`ll signal you when I`m in place."

The Overboss nodded and the Gunner took off at a slow jog, his eyes and his gun both trained at the ready. Gage watched the other man leave with a sense of foreboding. The Disciples and the Pack had both attempted to reclaim Kiddie Kingdom already, and failed. Only a few of the people they sent had returned. Of those, all were badly injured, and two had died from illness by the next day. They`d had reliable weapons and plenty of ammunition, and still the raiders had been overwhelmed within minutes. Porter sincerely hoped that wouldn`t be the case this time. Given, he`d seen the new Overboss fight before and respected her skills. MacCready followed whatever orders Frost had coordinated thus far, and the pair seemed to work well together. There was also an advantage in Gage wearing the power armor; he was basically a mobile tank. His doubts about the three of them all making it out of this in one piece remained however. MacCready must have been much stealthier and more agile than Gage had given him credit for; a flashlight and mirror signal gleamed from one of the ferris wheel`s booths only a short time later. He glanced to Frost for confirmation. When she gave him a nod he reluctantly moved with her, and they crossed the threshhold to the park.

As MacCready had informed them, the main path was clear for the moment. To the right were the discolored remains of what had once been a spinning teacup ride. The admissions stand and the other buildings nearby were all decorated to look like giant gingerbread houses. Gage and the Overboss continued past the ferris wheel before a voice crackled to life over the park`s intercom. The oily voice belonged to a male, and it dared the radiers to search Kiddie Kingdom for it`s owner while braving the thick radioactive mist that was now pouring from the sprayers all over the area.

"Head on a swivel, Boss." Gage warned his partner. The tiny invisible hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. He couldn`t see very far for the radioactive fog, but he could hear things moving within it.

"I hear them too, Gage." Frost responded as she crept towards the Blast Off! ride. The sound of shuffling footsteps was louder in that direction.

As if sensing their approach, several ghouls sprinted from the opaque mist to assault the trespassers. Two of them engaged the Overboss, while three more ran by to attack her second in command. A distinctive red flash burst from the barrel of Frost`s laser rifle and contacted the pair of painted monsters running at her in their torsos. They stumbled but did not stop. Her gun provided a clear visual for backup through MacCready`s scope.

While Gage`s combat shotgun thundered shells in to the ghouls around him a resounding _crack_ rang out. The raider sensed more than heard the bullet pass next to him; the rush of blood and adrenaline in his ears was too loud. Another enemiy he hadn`t been aware of creeping up on him fell to the ground a few feet away. Half of it`s skull was missing, a mass of scarlet gore spattered on the earth.

"MacCready six, raider one." The mercenary smirked as he reloaded. Alone in his elevated perch he knew no one could hear him. Keeping score of his kills was a habit he`d picked up long ago. He watched through his scope as Frost pumped two more rounds in to an incoming ghoul, which disintegrated in to glowing ash. By the time she`d turned to check on Gage, he`d finished off his last opponent. RJ`s smirk grew when the Overboss and Gage both looked at the half headless ghoul he`d taken down. Through the scope he saw her look in his direction at the ferris wheel and nod in approval.

"Don`t mention it." He chuckled quietly, to himself. His teammates began to head for the entrance to the employee tunnels as they had originally planned. MacCready pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, leaned back and scanned the area again. While they were underground he wouldn`t be able to help them, but he`d make sure when they came out that his companions would have less resistance.

The employee tunnels were accessed by a door underneath King Cola`s castle. Unfortunately getting to that door proved to be more challenging than originally anticipated. Frost and Gage had to follow the track for the Nuka Racers ride to get to the door. That wouldn`t have been difficult except the ride still had power. Every few minutes a passenger car would speed down the rails toward the raiders. They had to dodge at the last minute, which was easier said than done in the narrow passage the track followed. At one point three cars had jammed together side by side, making them nearly impossible to evade. Frost swore as Gage shoved her out of the way against a wall. The power armor slowed him down some just because of how heavy it was. A loud shriek of metal on metal sounded and sparks flew as one of the cars clipped him. The resulting sparks illuminated more ghouls charging down the track towards the pair.

Frost wanted to go to Gage immediately; he`d been knocked down and wasn`t moving. Lying prone made him vulnerable, even in the heavy steel exoskeleton. She would have to deal with the threat of the walking radiated near-dead first. There were too many enemies to eliminate and not enough time for individual killings. From one of the pouches on her belt the Overboss grabbed a grenade and threw it as far as she could. It bounced off one of the walls and rolled at the ghouls before detonating. The explosion vaporized more than half the incoming horde in a burst of green light. Frost brought the laser rifle to her shoulder and sighted down it`s barrel. A few moments and several flashes of red energy later, the track was littered with withered corpses. Still a pair of the abominations advanced. The Overboss knew she didn`t have time to reload before they would reach her. The cars were rumbling back around again, too. Short on options, Frost charged towards the ghouls. She smashed the first one in the face with the butt of her rifle. Its bony fingers dug in to the front of her gear, reaching. Again the gun crashed in to the ghoul`s skull, spattering blood and puss across the hazmat suit`s mask. Frost let out an angry grunt and continued to beat the creature before her. The last foe sprinted her way, just as Gage regained his senses and sat up.

He saw the scattered remains strewn about the area, saw Frost fending off a bloated, disgusting looking fiend. An enemy charged her position, where she stood between Gage and it. He raised his shotgun without getting to his feet.

"Fucking waste of space, fuck you!" The Overboss roared and dropped her rifle to the ground. Her opponent growled and eagerly went in for the kill. Gage watched in astonishment as the woman viciously kicked the monster in the chest and caused it to land on the track. He blasted the top half of the remaining ghoul away as the motion took Frost out of his line of fire. The oncoming racer car ran the bloated, stunned mutation over. A satisfying splatter of gore spurted from the body as it was crushed.

"You alright there, Boss?" Gage wondered hoarsely as he got to his feet.

"Gage! I`m good, but are you hurt?" The wrath in her expression faded to concern as he slowly walked toward her.

"Banged up, but still in one piece. Gonna be a hell of a bruise later. I don`t think anything`s broken though."

"Do we need to turn back?"

"Quit joking around and let`s finish the job." Gage told her sternly. He would _not_ be the reason they had to go home empty handed. He knew she was trying to look out for him. As thankful as he was, the notion also pissed him off to some degree. Did she really think a bump like that was going to put him down and out? In truth he hurt like hell, but he wasn`t willing to give up just because of a little pain. Instead, he led the way through the employee door while she retrieved and reloaded her gun.

The tunnels didn`t take long to clear; the two of them steamrolled through everything that got in their way. They learned that the ghouls were former Nuka World staff and visitors who had fled here when the bombs went off. Over time the heavy radiation had transformed them in to the monsters they were now. Gage found the valve to shut off the sprinklers outside as well. By the time they had exited the tunnels near the Fun House however, someone had reactivated part of the system. At least the mist was greatly reduced while the Glowing One calling himself Oswald the Outrageous antagionised them.

He blocked their path at every turn, and had MacCready busy fending off his minions outside. Gage suspected that part of the reason Oswald hadn`t been able to fully re-enable the misters was due to MacCready`s efforts. Frost seemed to agree, she muttered something about owing the Gunner a cold drink when Kiddie Kingdom was cleared. She and Gage advanced on the castle, thankfully to find that MacCready had already cleared most of the path there and was working on the courtyard. RJ had changed posts at some point; he was now near the apex of the ferris wheel. The shots from his rifle cracked against the cobblestones and rang off the walls around Gage and the Overboss as they were assailed by more ghouls. When the ground team finally gained access to King Cola`s castle, they could hear the shots continue outside. Oswald kept resurrecting the ghouls in the area as they fell, which meant that he must be nearby.

Upon the stage inside the castle theater, Gage spotted the mastermind himself. He stood next to an elaborately carved throne, dressed in full magician`s garb. His black tailcoat was in surprisingly good condition, along with his suit pants and tall top hat. Oswald himself was hideous. His face had been malformed by the radiation, and looked like melted wax. Large eyes bulged from their sockets, bright with a kind of madness that made even the raiders` skin tingle. Oswald attempted to entice Gage and Charlee with conversation. Gage followed her lead, as she was having none of that bullshit. The laser rifle sent a pulse of red energy in to Oswald`s chest before he could finish his first sentence. Once he realized that tactic wasn`t going to work, the ghoul disappeared in a puff of colored smoke.

"Are you kidding me? I wish this coward would just stay put! Fuck!" Gage snarled in the aftermath of the vanishing act. He`d decided once and for all; he absolutely _hated_ magicians.

"When we nail him, I`m putting his head on a pike." Frost agreed as they were left to fend off another wave of resurrected underlings.

They rode the backstage elevator up to the roof, each injecting additional Rad X`s on their way. At the summit they exited to find a large open area with nuclear waste barrels scattered throughout. The battle was drawn out and arduous; Oswald was able to use the high levels of radiation to heal his wounds. Additionally, he utilized it to revive his fallen 'friends', and repeatedly evaded the raiders` attacks with his little disappearing trick whenever they got close to him. At some point, Frost was able to briefly stun him with a grenade, which gave Gage the opportunity to cripple one of Oswald`s legs. The fight favored them from there, until at last the glowing ghoul collapsed. Gage took the liberty of beheading the creature with his own sword. Frost piked it on one of the roof`s decorative spires before she raised the Pack`s flag over Kiddie Kingdom.


End file.
